Lt. G.B. Bigland

Was this photograph used as the image for the memorial in Cartmel Priory?

George Braddyll Bigland. 2nd Lieutenant. 1/4th Battalion The King's Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment. Killed in Action 15th June 1915, Festubert, France.

George Braddyll Bigland, of Bigland, was the only son of George Bigland and Editha Hinde Blanche Bigland (nee Andre) born on November 4th 1891 at St. Louis. Missouri. The family returned to England aboard the "Umbria", arriving in Liverpool, on 13th November 1893. The family seat was Bigland Hall in the parish of Upper Holker and George Bradyll Bigland became its owner on the death of his father in 1902. Young Bigland was educated as a boarder at the nearby Charney Hall school at Grange over Sands. The headmaster was Mr Podmore, father of Lieutenant Colonel Hubert Podmore, D.S.O named on the Grange Memorial. 

George Braddyll Bigland lived the life of a country squire in those pre-war days, when war was declared he was away motor-cycle hill climbing. He returned home and applied for a commission in the Cumberland and Westmorland Yeomanry, but there were no vacancies. He then approached the local Territorial Army battalion, 1/4th King's Own and was commissioned on 21st August 1914. He left home on 11th of September to join his unit at Taplow, where they were guarding the main Great Western railway line.

He was already engaged and married Audrey, the youngest daughter of Sir Robert and Lady Hampson, at their residence in Bedfordshire in early 1915, prior to the battalion leaving for service in France.

From: ancestryimages.com

The fine memorial, by Arthur Drury to Lt G.B. Bigland in Cartmel Priory

The family grave and memorial to Lt Bigland in Cartmel Cememtery.

1/4th King's Own were part of the North Lancs Brigade, which became 154th Brigade when it joined the 51st (Highland) Division in April 1915, in which they remained until they rejoined the 55th. (West Lancs) Division, in January 1916.

The battalion landed in France in early May, 1915 and experienced an unpleasant introduction to the front line at Richebourg L'Avoue on the night of 24th/25th May.

On June 10th the Commanding Officer, Lt-Col W.F.A. Wadham became ill and his position was taken by Major (later Lt-Col) R. Thompson.

The Battalion was to experience its first major action on 15th June 1915, when IV Corps were to relieve pressure on the French with the Canadian Division, 7th Div. and 51st Div. by attacking the enemy at the junction of the two armies, near Festubert. This action was officially named the Second Battle of Festubert the first, more famous action, having taken place a month earlier - again in support of the French fighting the Battle of Artois.

1/4th Loyal North Lancs and 1/6 Cameronians were 154 Brigade's leading battalians at 5:58 pm when they went "over the top", the first time a Territorial Division had been used in this way. 1/4 KORLR and the Liverpool Irish were in support, there had been a 48 hour artillery barrage prior to the troops jumping off and a mine was blown, but there was no artillery support after the attack had started.

Almost at once telephone lines were cut and communication became very difficult, Lt Gardner and a group taken from two platoons of "A" Company 1/4 KORLR, established relay posts to transmit messages. The rest of "A" Coy later occupied a sap (L8) which provided cover for wounded men to pass in relative safety. British troops entered the German trench system but enemy soldiers had been sheltering in deep dugouts in the support line and began using grenades to bomb-out the attackers. The Loyals and Cameronians lost 30 officers between them and an advanced bomb store had been blown up, depriving the Tommies of the tools they needed for the bitter fighting. The King's Own "B", "C" and "D" Companies moved into fire, support and reserve trenches respectively. Reinforcements could not move across No Man's Land as the Germans covered it with a withering cross-fire. "B" Coy's Lt. G.B. Bigland, of Bigland Hall, was killed in the fire trench.

At 8pm The King's Own and 1/8 Liverpools crawled forward in darkness in support  of the attack's leaders. The Germans called out "Come on King's Own." and, "This way the Loyals." adding to the confusion already being experienced and causing more casualties.

"B" Company penetrated into the German positions where Captain W.G. Pearson was wounded by shrapnel. "D" Company was moved forward to support the Loyals and attempted to establish contact with the Grenadier Guards on their right. The King's Own received the order to retire between 10 and 11pm, with "D" Coy still attempting to get in touch with the Grenadiers, which did not happen until two hours later. An officer from the Loyals reported to Battalion HQ at around midnight, but could not give a clear picture of the situation at the Front. A German counter attack went in at 12:30am on the 16th, there was no opportunity to use artillery to break it up and no support was forthcoming on the right. The Battalion retired in good order, but Captain Pearson could not be found and became a prisoner-of-war. At 1:45 am the Battalion was ordered to re-form in the reserve trench, a Battalion from 152 Bde. moved into support and the Liverpool Irish manned the firing line.

1/4th King's Own were relieved and formed up at Le Touret at 10 am on the morning of the 16th of June.

I make no apologies for quoting Captain Crossley's words from the Battalion History (p.24), "The educational effect on the Battalion was profound, and the young soldier, who less than twelve months before had stepped out along Dalton Road, Barrow, or Market Street, Ulverston. etc., with the gay irresponsibility of Saturday night, and was now thrown into this cauldron of war, recognized its realities in a way he would never forget. He had seen death in battle at close quarters, and was to look at things in a different light thenceforward."

Despite the lack of success the gallantry of the troops was recognised by the Corps Commander, General Sir H. Rawlinson, in a Special Order issued by Brigadier-General G.L. Hibbert.

The King's Own losses were very severe, the War Diary records the 16th June casualties from the 14th and 15th:

Lt. Bigland of Bigland has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 5 of the Le Touret Memorial.

"Only child of Editha Blanch Hinde Bigland, of Bigland Brow, Backbarrow, formerly of Bigland Hall, Ulverston, Lancs, and the late Squire George Bigland; husband of Mrs. Audrey Pain (formerly Bigland), of Bigland Hall, Ulverston. Known as the Soldier-Squire. Last of his line who for a thousand years served in the Navy or Army."  

Audrey gave birth to Bigland's daughter after his death. She remarried, becoming Mrs Audrey Pain and continued living at Bigland.

Mrs Bigland Snr. was devastated by the death of her only child. She went to Festubert as soon after the Armistice as she could, she searched in vain for any sign of her son's remains, but before returning to England, "I had taken with me a photograph of myself, and whilst on the battlefield I wrote on the back of it the following lines : ' George dear, your mother has come to see you, and she hopes you are radiantly happy'. She is always, always thinking of you! You have a sweet little girl, and your mother loves her as she loves you. God bless you dear, for ever and ever, for the noble and brave boy you have been all your life—From your very proud but sorrow-stricken mother, Editha B. H. Bigland.' I put this photograph in a tin box and buried it in ' No Man's Land,' not far from the German fire-trench. I also brought with me bulbs, plants and earth from Bigland, the home he loved so dearly, and these were also planted on this hallowed spot."

She also gathered some flowers and soil from, as near as she could ascertain, the spot George Braddyll died and took them home to be buried with her in due course.

Mrs E B H Bigland

In Memoriam she had a portrait tablet sculptured in white Carrara marble, erected to him on the east wall of the south transept of Cartmel Priory Church. It was executed by Mr. Alfred Drury, R.A., and was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1918. (see photograph above)

She also presented a stained glass window depicting St. George to the Catholic Church of St. Mary in Furness, at Ulverston by Shrigley & Hunt of Lancaster

Mrs. Bigland had four portaits of her son in uniform painted by well known artists, one was donated to the Imperial War Museum and can be viewed here. The second she gave to the Bigland Endowed School at Browedge, Backbarrow. The third was painted by Percy Bigland and given to his daughter to remain in the family, she does not mention the fourth but, I assume she kept it herself. 

Finally local legend has it that she moved to the Dower House on Bigland Brow and painted it blood red in memory of her fallen hero.

To learn more about The King's Own click on this link : http://www.kingsownmuseum.com/ko3111-bigland.htm