INGRAM Christopher Humphrey 1880 – 1916

CHRISTOPHER HUMPHREY INGRAM 1880 – 1916

16962 Private Christopher Humphrey Ingram, 10th Battalion, The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) was killed in action 7 June 1916, aged 36.  He is buried at Vermelles British Cemetery, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France[1] and commemorated on Escomb War Memorial.

Family Details

Christopher Humphrey Ingram was born 1880 [2] at Nosterfield, near Masham, North Yorkshire, the son of Thomas and Ann Ingram.  There were 7 children:[3]

  • Jane bc.1871 born at Middleton, Yorkshire
  • Hannah bc.1875, born at Spennymoor, County Durham
  • Thomas Henry bc.1878, born at Spennymoor, County Durham
  • Christopher born 1880 born at Nosterfield, Yorkshire
  • Mary bc. 1893, born at Thornborough, Yorkshire
  • Ellenor bc.1895 at Thornborough, Yorkshire
  • William bc.1899 at Thornborough, Yorkshire

In 1881, the family lived at Thornborough near Masham, Yorkshire where 40 years old Thomas worked as a shepherd.[4]  In 1891, the family lived at Bishop Auckland and Thomas worked as a general labourer.[5]  In 1901, the family were at Lower Bridge Street, Bishop Auckland where 64 years old Thomas, now a widower, worked as a, “coke drawer”.  Christopher was 20 years old and worked as a coal miner (putter). [6]  In 1903, Christopher Ingram married Elizabeth Lyons [7]and they had 3 children:[8]

  • Thomas William born 3 June 1904
  • Albert born 5 September 1906
  • Mary Elizabeth born 23 February 1909

In 1911, Christopher and Elizabeth lived at New Row, Escomb with 2 children, 6 years old Thomas and 4 years old Albert.  Christopher, now 31 years old worked as a coal miner (hewer).[9] Later, the Ingram family lived at Church Street, Escomb. 

Military Details

The service details of Christopher H. Ingram have not been traced.  He enlisted at Bishop Auckland and joined the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 10th battalion, and was given the service number 16962.[10] He was a volunteer, answering Kitchener’s call to arms.  The 10th (Service) Battalion, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) was formed at Hamilton in September 1914 as part of K2 (Kitchener’s New Army) and came under the orders of 46th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division.[11]  By June 1916, the 46th Brigade consisted of:[12]

  • 7/8th Bn., the King’s Own Scottish Borderers,
  • 10th Bn., the Cameronians
  • 12th Bn., the Highland Light Infantry
  • 10/11th Bn., the Highland Light Infantry joined May 1916
  • 46th Machine Gun Company joined February 1916
  • 46th Trench Mortar Battery

The 15th (Scottish) Division landed in France between 7 and 13 July 1915 but Private Christopher H.  Ingram entered France 12 May 1915,[13] presumably as part of an advanced party of men.  The Division served with distinction on the Western Front.  Up until the death of Private C.H. Ingram, in June 1916, the Division saw action at The Battle of Loos in September 1915; 27 – 29 April 1916, the German gas attacks near Hulluch and 11 May, the defence of “The Kink Position”. The next major engagement was at the Battle of the Somme namely the Battle of Pozieres which commenced 15 July 1916. 

Private C. H. Ingram was killed in action prior to this, 7 June 1916.  The War Diary [14] reports that the battalion moved from Noyelles to Verquigneuil, 31 May arriving 1 June.  It moved up into the Hohenzollern section 4 June, taking over the Reserve for 2 days, and undertaking daily carrying duties for the Royal Engineers Tunnelling Companies.

6 – 12 June, the battalion was posted to the Hohenzollern sector and the major work entailed pushing out saps from a trench known as Sackville Street to form a new front line opposite the new enemy front line at Anchor Trench.  Also, work associated with keeping Poker St and Vigo Street clear when blown in by enemy mining.  The work was completed successfully.  The War Diary reports on 2 specific events which inflicted a number of casualties:

  • 8 June: the enemy sprung a large mine among the existing craters and
  • 9 June: 2 officers were killed, 2/Lt. Ronaldson and 2/Lt. Bilsland when an assault by rifle grenades was carried out by the enemy.

12 June, the battalion went back to the Reserve.

The War Diary does not include any comprehensive casualty details but later research records that between 6 and 12 June, 10/Cameronians lost 9 Other Ranks, killed in action or died of wounds, 4 on the 7th including Private C.H. Ingram, 3 on the 9th and 2 on the 11th.[15]   Since there is no specific mention of any action taking place on the 7th, it is assumed that Private C.H. Ingram was killed in action as a result of the usual violence of warfare, shelling, rifle grenades, sniping or mining. The 2 officers mentioned above were Temporary Second Lieutenant A. Ronaldson, attached to 10/Cameronians from the 12th Battalion and Temporary Second Lieutenant J. Bilsland, attached to 10/Cameronians from the 11th battalion.[16]

Awards and Medals

Private Christopher H.  Ingram was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the Victory and British War medal.[17]

Medal Roll card index

Burial [18]

Private Christopher Humphrey Ingram is buried at grave reference III.D.11, Vermelles British Cemetery, Nod-Pas-e-Calais, France.  16746 Private A. Montague, also killed in action 7 June 1916 is buried at grave reference III.D.24.  Also buried here are Second Lieutenant A. Ronaldson at grave reference III.D.20 and Second Lieutenant J. Bilsland at grave reference III.D.21.

Pension and Effects

Private Christopher H.  Ingram’s widow Elizabeth received his pension[19] and effects.[20]

Summary

CHRISTOPHER HUMPHREY INGRAM 1880 – 1916

16962 Private Christopher Humphrey Ingram, 10th Battalion, The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) was killed in action 7 June 1916, aged 36.  He is buried at Vermelles British Cemetery, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France.  Christopher was born in 1880 in North Yorkshire and moved up to the Bishop Auckland area as a 19 years old, working as a coal miner and in 1903, he married Elizabeth.  Christopher was a volunteer, joining the Scottish Rifles, entering France in May 1915 and seeing action at the Battle of Loos.  The sector was heavily mined by both warring parties and it is likely that he was killed when a mine was blown beneath British positions.  He left a widow and 3 children.  

REFERENCES

[1] Commonwealth War Graves Commission

[2] England & Wales Birth Index 1837-1915 Vol.9a p.83 Ripon, Yorkshire 1880 Q1

[3] 1881, 1891, & 1901 census

[4] 1881 census

[5] 1891 census

[6] 1901 census

[7] England & Wales Marriage Index 1837-1915 Vol.10a p.429 Auckland 1903 Q4

[8] Dependant’s Pension card index

[9] 1911 census

[10] Soldiers Died in the Great War

[11] https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/cameronians-scottish-rifles/

[12] http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/15th-scottish-division/

[13] Medal Roll card index

[14] 10th Battalion, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) War Diary June 1916 National Archive reference WO-95-1954-2-1

[15] SDGW

[16] Officers Died in the Great War

[17] Medal Roll card index and Rolls dated 26 August 1919 & 28 April 1920

[18] CWGC

[19] Dependant’s Pension card index

[20] UK Army Register of Soldiers’ Effects Record No.309544