Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Walter Richard Terrell, a school teacher, born on the 27th January 1858 in Chatham, Kent and baptised on the 22nd August 1858 in St. John’s Church, Chatham (son of Richard Terrell, 1830-1906 and Charlotte Sophia Packer, 1833-1912) and his wife Ann Elizabeth Terrell (nee Drury, married on the 3rd January 1883 in Christ Church, Luton, Kent), a matron, born in the January quarter of 1861 in Chatham and baptised on the 13th January 1861 in Christ Church, Luton (daughter of James Winder Drury, 1840 and Emma French, 1841). Victor James, was born on the 22nd January 1888 in Horton Kirby, Darenth, Kent and baptised on the 18th March 1888 in Christ Church, Luton, in April 1891 the family home was at the Home for Little Boys, Horton Kirby, South Darenth, Kent.
In March 1901 Victor was residing in the family home at Great Casterton, Rutland, together with his father an elementary schoolmaster and his mother.
In April 1911 Victor was employed as an assistant teacher and was residing in the family home at the School House, Great Casterton, together with his father, a head teacher and his mother.
Victor married Caroline Evelyn Dunmore, on the 9th June 1915 in Grantham, Lincolnshire, Caroline was born on the 27th August 1887 in South Witham, Lincolnshire (daughter of Samuel Dunmore, 1844 and Elizabeth Beeson, 1856). They resided at The Holness, Great Casterton, Rutland.
Caroline married Joseph Hind, in the July quarter of 1918 in Grantham, Joseph was a farmer, and was born on the 12th February 1889 in Morton, Lincolnshire.
Victor’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested in London into the Territorial Force. 11/5/15.
Joined. At place and date not known.
Posted. To Depot London Regt. (City of London) London Rifle Brigade. Rfn. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 2134.
Posted. To 1/5th Bn. London Regt. London Rifle Brigade. Rfn. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service Number. 301335. Date not known.
First entered the theatre of war in France. 15/10/15.
Killed in action. In the Field. 1/7/16.
Body not recovered. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
Awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, Victor failed to nominated a sole legatee.
The medal award roll records the following annotation in red against Victor’s name: - Retd. 1743 KR CRN 11/Bd/-3/7/23. 7956/adt. This could either represent the fact that when the medals were sent to his next of kin, they had moved from the given address, and the medals were therefore returned, alternatively because of the added (Adt), this could signify that some detail in the engraving may have been incorrect and that the medals were returned for adjustment.
However, if the medals, for whatever reason remained unclaimed. At the expiration of a ten-year period from the date of return, they would be sent to the Deputy Director of Ordnance Stores, Royal Dockyard (Medal Branch) Woolwich to be broken up. Army Order 402 1913.
The War Diary records: 1 Jul-16 – HEBUTERNE. – As already recorded in the previous months diary, the Battalion marched to HEBUTERNE and took up their position in the assembly and front-line trenches in the Y sector. For the positions of Companies, Headquarters etc., see Operation Orders attached, which also give the troops on our immediate flanks. The smoke cloud which was most effectual commenced at 7.16am and at 7.27am the 1st wave moved forward followed by the remaining ones exactly in accordance with orders. The lines advanced in excellent order and the movements went like clockwork, so much so that by 7.50am all our objectives were reached. By 8.07am the work of consolidation had commenced. Soon after this the first serious opposition was encountered in the shape of strong enemy bombing parties, whose advance was covered by snipers. Some of whom were -?- -?- - heavy Machine Gun fire was also opened from reserve lines.
Bad casualties began to occur and “A” Company in FIR had to be reinforced by a platoon as they were having a hard fight in GOMMECOURT PARK where hostile bombers were particularly active. Bombs now began to run short and German ones were fully used. Owing to the very heavy and accurate barrage across no man’s land, the reserve Company although attempting it several times were unable to get across with reinforcements and extra ammunition and bombs. The situation now became serious as our men were being driven out of the enemy’s 2nd and 3rd line trenches by strong bombing parties, and finally men began to withdraw to our own lines.
Later our only hold on the German lines was in FERRET, but at dusk the men there were forced to withdraw so that at 8.45pm we had no unwounded men, except those who had been taken prisoners in the hostile trenches.
It seems probable that although the actual attack was unsuccessful and was very costly, we killed a large number of Germans, but undoubtedly the attack failed on account of the lack of success by the Division on our left and also because we were unable to get the reserve Company across with the supply of bombs that were so urgently needed.
At 5.15pm the officers who had been ordered to remain out of the attack had orders to go up and help reorganise. Major HUSEY during the day was with the 56th Divisional Headquarters doing liaison work between the 46th and 48th Divisions.
For casualties, Operation Orders and congratulatory remarks see attached schedule.
APPENDIX 14.
Casualties.
Officers. Killed or died of wounds 7. Wounded and brought into our lines. 10. Wounded and Missing
1. Missing believed killed 1.
“A” Company.
Other Ranks. Killed or died of wounds 14. Wounded and brought into our lines. 63. Wounded and Missing 16. Missing 67.
“B” Company.
Other Ranks. Killed or died of wounds 13. Wounded and brought into our lines. 44. Wounded and Missing 3. Missing 24.
“C” Company.
Other Ranks. Killed or died of wounds 21. Wounded and brought into our lines. 67. Wounded and Missing 22. Missing 68.
“D” Company.
Other Ranks. Killed or died of wounds 17. Wounded and brought into our lines. 68. Wounded and Missing 16. Missing 44.
Total Other Ranks. Killed or died of wounds 65. Wounded and brought into our lines. 242. Wounded and Missing 59. Missing 203.
Totals: Officers 19. Other Ranks: “A” Company 162. “B” Company 84. “C” Company 178. “D” Company 145. Total Other Ranks 569.
Of above wounded, returned to duty by 23/7/16. “A” Company 10. “B” Company 7. “C” Company 11. “D” Company 13. Totals: 41.
Details of Officers casualties.
Killed or died. Captain SOMERS-SMITH. Captain HARVEY. 2nd Lieutenant POGOSE. 2nd Lieutenant DOUST. 2nd Lieutenant BENNS. 2nd Lieutenant WARNER. 2nd Lieutenant BALKWILL.
Wounded. Captain CHOLMELEY. Lieutenant BOSTON. Lieutenant OLDFIELD. Lieutenant POCOCK. 2nd Lieutenant ROSE. 2nd Lieutenant SMITH. 2nd Lieutenant SAWBRIDGE. 2nd Lieutenant THOMAS. 2nd Lieutenant PETLEY. 2nd Lieutenant LYDALL.
Wounded and missing. Captain de COLOGAN.
Missing believed killed. Lieutenant CLODE-BAKER.
Total casualties all ranks 588.
On Friday 28th, July 1916, The Lincoln, Rutland and Stamford Mercury published the following article on page 2, under the heading. – GREAT CASTERTON. – Much sympathy is felt for Mr. and Mrs. W. Terrell of the School House, in the anxiety occasioned them by news, received from one of his regimental friends, that their son, rifleman Victor J. Terrell, London Rifle Brigade, is wounded and missing.
On the 11th April 1918, Victor’s widow, Caroline Evelyn, of The Holness, Great Casterton, Stamford, was awarded a weekly Army Dependant’s Pension of thirteen shillings and nine pence, commensurate on the 22nd April 1918. His widow later remarried and resided at South Witham, Grantham.
A biography reproduced from the 1920 publication, Rutland & the Great War, compiled by G. Phillips records the following: - Formerly an assistant master in St. Martin’s Boy’s School, Stamford, in September 1912 he went for two years training at the London County Council Training College at Islington. On leaving college in July, 1914, he was appointed assistant master in St. Mary’s Boy’s School in Rotherhithe, London, which post he held until he enlisted on May 11th, 1915. He served in Belgium and France, and his death on the 1st July, 1916 is thus described by a comrade, Rifleman Sidney Lause a returned prisoner of war: - “He was killed by the same bomb that wounded me. We had got into the German line on the attack, but had to retire. We had got to a shell hole when a bomb was thrown in by a German, Vic was killed by my side.”
[recognitum III-XI-MMXXIV]