Trafford

Born 16th December 1893, the son of Stanley & Teresa Goodrich Bridgford
(nee Lyon).  The birth registered as HAROLD Lyon Bridgford at Hastings R.D.
during the December quarter 1893.

1901 census - "Gairloch", South Downs Road, Hale, Cheshire.    Son - aged:
7 - occ: Clerk - born: St Leonard's on Sea, Sussex.    Head of Household -
Stanley Bridgford (father) - aged: 32 - occ: Stock & Share Broker - born:
Manchester.    Theresa G. Bridgford (mother) - Wife - aged: 35 - born:
Weybridge, Surrey.  Plus his younger sister and 3 servants.

Educated firstly at Miss Wallace's Preparatory School, then the Wadham
House School.   He next attended Sedbergh Preparatory School in May 1906,
above the usual age for new boys.  He was in the Cricket XI in his first
term and in his second term he played in the Football Xl and left
Preparatory School that July passing into the Sedbergh (Higher) School -
No. 1640 on the School Register - leaving there in December 1910 to become
a Cotton Merchant.      A member of the Sedbergh School OTC.    A member of
the Bowdon Hockey Club and the Hale Golf Club and unmarried.

1911 Census - "Gairloch", South Downs Road, Hale, Cheshire.    Son - aged:
7 - born: St Leonard's on Sea, Sussex.    Head of Household - Stanley
Bridgford (father) - aged: 42 - occ: Stock & Share Broker - born:
Manchester.    Theresa Goodrich Bridgford (mother) - Wife - aged: 45 -
born: Weybridge, Surrey.  Plus 3 servants.

MIC - Drafted to Gallipoli on the 17th October 1914.   Awarded the BWM, 15
Star & Victory.

"Gazetted" 2nd Lieutenant in October 1914 - promted to the rank of
Lieutenant in 1916 and Captain in 1917.   Served at Gallipoli from August
1915, (not according to his MIC) then in Egypt in May 1916 and finally to
France and Flanders.

WO 374 - The reports state that he arrived at Gallipoli on the 15th August
1915, but that on the 29th September was sent to the hospital ship H.M.H.S.
"Nevasa", suffering from Catarrhal Jaundice.   He arrived at Malta on the
4th October and was medically examined at the Blue Sisters Hospital, Malta
on the 5th October 1915 - He had an enlarged liver and was expected to
remain unfit for one month.     He left Malta on the 8th October on the
H.M.H.S. "Massillia" and arrived at Southampton on the 17th October 1915.  
He was to the Osborne Convalescent Hospital, Isle of Wight - possibly from
the 20th October to the 10th November 1915, when he was declared as being
fit for service, but granted one months leave.

Enlisted in August 1914, serving at Gallipoli and Egypt, until he was
posted to "another" front (newspaper censor) 13 months ago

Ref: "British Regiments at Gallipoli" - In January 1915, the 1/6th Bn
Manchester Rgt went to Egypt, part of the Lancashire Fusiliers Brigade,
East Lancashire Division.     British landings at Gallipoli commenced on
the 25th April 1915, but his Bn was not involved in these initial landings.
  However, at 09.30 hours on the 3rd of May 1915 the 1/6th Bn Manchester
Rgt sailed on the S.S. "Derfflinger" and commenced their disembarkation at
Helles at 16.00 hours on the 6th May, where they moved to bivouacs on the
cliff above 'W' Beach.    The War Diary records that each man carried 200
rounds of ammunition, two days supplies and iron rations, picks and
shovels.  No baggage, blankets or stores were allowed.    At 19.00 hours on
the 7th May, they moved forward to a position west of Krithia Bridge.   At
20.30 hours on the 8th May, they moved up the Krithia Road to support
positions and on the 11th May, relieved the 4th Bn Worcester Rgt in the
firing line in the Krithia Nullah sector.    On the 21st  they were
relieved and moved to reserve lines.   On the 25th, the relieved the 1/5th
Bn East Lancashire Rgt and together with the 1/5th Bn Manchester Rgt
advanced on a line between 50 and 200 yards.

On the 4th June, they took part in the Third Battle of Krithia - their
first objective was taken and consolidated and an enemy counter-attack on
the 6th was beaten off.   On the 7th June they began  a withdrawal to Army
Corps Reserve.    On the 12th, they embarked at 'V' Beach for the Island of
Imbros.     They were back on the 22nd June, where they landed at Cape
Helles and on the 24th, went into the firing line in  the Krithia Nullah
sector.      They were relieved by the 1/5th Manchester Rgt on the 29th
June.    The 2nd July saw them relieving the 1/5th Manchester Rgt in the
firing line and were relieved by them on the 5th July, but relieved them
again on the 8th.    On the 12th July they were relieved from the firing
line went to the Eski Line in Divisional Reserve., moving forward again
into the reserve line on the 29th July.

On the 1st August, they relieved the 1/8th Bn Manchester Rgt in the firing
line east of Krithia Nullah, but were relieved by them on the 4th.   On the
7th, they took part in the attack on Trenches G12a, G13, G11a and G12d - by
10.50 hours they reported that their first and second assaults were
successful and that Trench G10a was strongly held.   However, by 19.15
hours they had fallen back under a heavy counter-attack, having suffered
heavy casualties.  On the 12th, they relieved the 1/8th Manchester Rgt  in
the firing line east of Krithia Nullah, but were themselves relieved by the
1/5th Bn King's Own Scottish Borderers in Wigan Road and Redoubt Line, when
went back to the rest camp.   They were back in the firing line again by
the 19th and went on to relieve the 1/8th Bn Manchester Rgt. on the 22nd,
which was the pattern for the rest of the month of August.

Relieved from the front line on the 2nd September and moved to Gully Beach.
 Undertook fatigues at 'W' Beach and went back to the firing line on the
10th.  They were relieved by the 1/5th Bn Manchester Rgt on the 14th and
went to Geogheghan's Bluff.  To Gully Beach again on the 24th and undertook
fatigues again at 'W' Beach.  This alternating pattern continued for the
rest of their time at Gallipoli until they finally embarked at 'V' Beach
for Mudros on the 29th December.

The 17/05/1918 edition of the local newspaper stated  that he had been
reported missing from the 23rd March 1918, that he had been wounded and was
now a POW in Germany.   It also stated that his parents lived at South
Downs Rd.  The 30/08/1918 edition stated that he had been wounded and taken
prisoner to a POW Camp at Limberg, Germany.   Another Sedbergh source
states that he died as a PoW on the 8th April 1918, from wounds received in
action south of Arras on the 25th March 1918 - this was two days into the
big German offensive that pushed our Armies back 6 miles in a few days - no
chance of tunnelling when retreating rapidly.

A hand-written note on the Sedbergh School Register states that he a member
of a Tunnelling Company (mines) and was killed by a shell at the front???
(fatally wounded by a shell??).    I believe that to be incorrect?  
Tunnelling Companies were usually part of the Royal Engineers - also,
neither the book 'Tunnellers" written in 1936, nor "War Underground"
written in 1961, mention the Manchester Rgt though they do both mention
other Infantry Units.   

Extract from de Ruvigny's ROLL OF HONOUR 1914-1918, Part 4, page 18: 

BRIDGFORD, STANLEY LYON, Capt., 6th (Territorial) Battn. The Manchester
Regt., s. of Stanley Bridgford, of Hale, Co. Chester, Stockbroker; b. St.
Leonards-on-Sea, 16 Dec. 1892; educ. Hale, and Sedburgh School, Co. York;
was a Cotton Agent; gazetted 2.nd Lieut. in Oct. 1914; promoted Lieut. in
1916, and Capt. in 1917; served with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
at Gallipoli from Aug. 1915; proceeded to Egypt in May, 1916, and to France
in Jan. 1917, and died at the Army Orphanage Hospital, Ghent, as a prisoner
of war, 8 April, 1918, from wounds received in action south of Arras on the
25th of the previous month; unm.

Commemorated on the private family gravestone in Hale Cemetery.    His
estate was valued at £114. 17.  2d.

Death reported in the 17/05/1918 edition of the Altrincham Guardian.  See
also the 30/08/1918 edition of the local newspaper.