Medal & Mortality index
The Military Cross was instituted as a Decoration on December 28th, 1914, to
reward Distinguished Services rendered by Officers of certain ranks in the army
in time of war. Bars may be added for additional acts of gallantry. Since August
1st, 1918, it has, like the D.S.O., been awarded for "services in action" only.
I believe this is Sidney Joshua Barkworth, a school teacher, aged 18 in the 1911
census, stepson of Robert & Kate Willey, and living in Caistor, Lincolnshire
1205 Private S. J. Barkworth, disembarked 9.3.1915; comm 4 London Regt ; 8.8.16
Since the 1st July, 1916 the Battalion had received some very valuable
reinforcements of officers which repaired the deficiencies caused by the battle,
as follows :
2/Lieuts. S. J. Barkworth, M.M.,
London Gazette 10 August 1916 :
Military Medal awarded to :
1205 Sergeant S. J. Barkworth, London Regiment (T.F.)
September 1916 :
One or two changes occurred during this period among the officers of the
Battalion, of which the most important was the assumption of the Adjutancy by
Lieut. W. J. Boutall on the evacuation to hospital of Capt. R. L. Herring, who
had occupied this trying position practically since the Battalion joined the
56th Division. 2/Lieut. Garratt assumed the duties of Assistant Adjutant almost
immediately afterwards. Capt. J. T. Sykes left the Battalion for attachment to
the Indian Army, and the signalling officer, Lieut. E. W. Monk, to join the
R.A.F. The latter's duties were taken over by 2/Lieut. S. J. Barkworth, M.M. In
addition to these 2/Lieut, A. C. Knight was evacuated to hospital.
18 September 1916 :
Dawn broke on a chilled but yet remarkably cheerful Battalion. The continued
strain of heavy shell fire and conditions of physical misery were, however,
beginning to have their effect, and several men who in earlier actions had given
ample proof of their courage, collapsed. " One man of D Company who had
previously shown himself one of the stoutest-hearted, lost his mental balance
and suddenly became possessed of the idea of killing all the Germans in the
German Army, and had to be forcibly restrained from mounting the parapet.
2/Lieut. Barkworth, who came up from Battalion Headquarters, succeeded by sheer
strength of personality in restraining him and getting him back to H.Q."
The decorations awarded for services rendered between the 1st July and the 7th
October were :
M.C.— Lieut. W. J. Boutall, 2/Lieuts. O. D. Garratt, S. J. Barkworth, M.M., E.
McD. McCormick and Rev. R. Palmer, O.F.
Military Cross
2/Lieut. S. J. Barkworth, M.M. ; London Gazette 14.11.16
BATTLE OF CAMBRAI 1917
About 8 o'clock that night the enemy launched a heavy attack against the London
Scottish barricades, and in the support trench they succeeded in forcing the
Scottish back to the Inchy Road, though the position in the front trench was
held. The Scottish had now been fighting for over twelve hours and had suffered
rather serious losses, and the German counter-attack caused two companies of the
l/4th Londons to be drawn into the fight, A Company (Franks) and C (Barkworth)
moving forward to reinforce the Scottish at about 8.30 p.m.
##
The trench was already uncomfortably filled with casualties in addition to the
men who were keeping up the fight, but in a few moments the congestion was
greatly increased by the numbers of Scottish troops who began to come back and
file along the trench. At about 3 p.m. about 50 of the London Scottish were seen
to leave the Hindenburg support trench in the hidden valley referred to, with
the object of making their way over the open towards the front trench. Realising
that this vacation of the trench might enable the enemy to surge forward along
it and so cut off Mills, who was still holding his own up the communication
trench, Barkworth promptly ordered Stuckey to advance and form a block beyond
the side trench held by Mills. Stuckey's losses, however, had been severe, and
with only five men at his disposal he was unable to cope with the task in view
of the great congestion of the trench. Rather than risk the sudden cutting off
of his remaining slender resources in men and the laying open to the enemy of
the whole Tadpole Copse position, which would inevitably result, Barkworth now
decided to withdraw his advanced positions and concentrate his company, and
accordingly Stuckey was ordered to block the support trench at the west entrance
to the Quadrilateral, Mills gradually withdrawing and holding the enemy off till
the new block was completed. In this retired position the remnants of C Company
were in touch with B Company and also with the 2nd Londons, and here the enemy
was finally held up.
This gallant little defence in which C Company put up a really good fight and
inflicted considerable loss on the enemy, cost it about 40 per cent, of its
strength in casualties and, as already stated, three of its Lewis guns.
##
Mention in Despatches :
At 11.30 p.m. on the 26th the Battalion was relieved by the Kensingtons,
withdrawing on relief to its former position in the Brigade support area behind
the old British front line. This relief brought to a close the Battalion's
active participation in the British offensive, which was now practically spent.
During the very trying three days spent behind the bombing blocks in
circumstances which required particular vigilance and fortitude, all ranks had
behaved splendidly, and it is difficult to mention individuals when all had
rendered such excellent service. A few names, however, call for outstanding
mention, among these being Capt. S. J. Barkworth, M.C., M.M., and Capt. A. M.
Duthie, the commanders of C and D Companies, on whom the brunt of the work had
fallen, and their subalterns Rowlands and Mills. The Padre, the Rev. S. F.
Leighton Green, did splendid service throughout, being always about the
Hindenburg lines and going up to the advanced blocks. At night he was constantly
visiting and helping with casualties and administering the last rites to those
who had fallen.
Lieut. (A/Capt.) S. J. Barkworth, M.C., M.M. ; London Gazette 25.5.18
1/4TH BATTALION IN ARTOIS :
In the support area Headquarters and B Company (Spicer) were in a 30-foot
railway cutting in rear of Bailleul, while A (H. N. Williams), C (Barkworth) and
D (Cooper) were in the Red line. Christmas day, which was fortunately not marked
by hostile activity, was spent in these positions and by means of numerous small
parties in the Red line the troops were able to get as much enjoyment out of it
as the circumstances permitted, but the festivity was rather damped by the death
of 2 /Lieut. E. L. Stuckey, a keen and promising officer, who was killed by a
stray shell in the Red line.
31st March 1918 :
Arriving at Mont St Eloy early in the morning of the 31st March 1918 the l/4th
Londons settled down to a few days of so-called rest, days which, for officers
at least, are usually quite as hard work as those spent in battle. Companies
have to be reorganised and fresh " specialists " trained to their duties, the
completion of the men's clothing and equipment, and replenishment of all company
stores have to be looked to, in addition to a large amount of clerical work in
writing up the official account of the battle and in submitting names for
awards, mention in despatches and promotion. The Battalion on this occasion was
fortunate in getting the gaps in its ranks rapidly filled. On the 2nd and 3rd
April two drafts arrived numbering together 420 fully trained N.C.O.'s and men.
Fine drafts which later did gallant service, but which transformed the camp into
a mild imitation of the Tower of Babel, for among them could be traced the
accents of London, Kent, Surrey, Berkshire, the broader dialects of Yorkshire,
Cheshire, Lancashire and Wiltshire, and even the unmistakable tones of Scotland
and South Wales. Regulars, Territorials and New Armies were all represented, and
the rejuvenated Battalion provided a living example of the unity of the
Motherland in a great cause.
This great accession enabled an immediate reconstruction of the four companies
to take place, and they were accordingly reformed and the reinforcements
absorbed, A Company under Capt. H. N. Williams, M.C., B under Capt. R. S. B.
Simmonds, C under Capt. S. J. Barkworth, M.C., M.M., and D under Capt. T. B.
Cooper, M.C., M.M.
##
Early in July Capt. and Adjt. W. J. Boutall, M.C., was appointed to 168th
Brigade Headquarters as Assistant Staff Captain, and his duties in the Battalion
were assumed by Capt. S. J. Barkworth, M.C., M.M. Boutall had filled the
appointment of Adjutant since September 1916 with conspicuous success. His
organising ability was high and the standard of his work throughout had been
excellent. C Company was taken over about the same time by Capt. H. A. T.
Hewlett. 2/Lieut. F. S. Wise was seconded to the Machine-gun Corps. 2d