EVERETT, Vicars
No. 12588, Private, Vicars John EVERETT
Aged 25
9th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment)
Killed in Action on Monday 9th August, 1915
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Born in Exning in 1890, ( an un-named male EVERETT registered Newmarket Q2-1890) the second son of Reuben and Mary EVERETT (née SPARKS) of Oxford Street,
Exning. 1891 census...At Oxford Street, Exning were Vecus J (Jack) [2], his father Reuben[26], stableman, born Gazeley..his mother Mary [29], born Tuddenham.. brother Arhur [3] born Exning and sister Agnes [4 months] born Exning 1901 census...At Vine Terrace, Exning were Vicus, his parents, Arthur and Agnes and brothers Joseph Henry[8],William Albert[6],Reuben Harry [4] and sister Ellen Louisa, all the children Exning born. 1911 census...At Gas House Lodge, Welbeck, Worksop, Notts he is known as John Everett, a groom in a racing paddock. His father and stepmother, Joseph, William, Reuben Harry and Ellen together with Emma's brother William Simson are living at 2 Oxford Terrace, Oxford Street, Exning. Mary had died in 1908 and Reuben married Emma SWANN in Newmarket in Q4-1910 (apparently her 2nd marriage also). The address after Vicar's death was 7 Hillside Terrace, Exning. His records frequently vary as to the spelling of Vicars and of the surname. He was recorded as John by the Army and appears as such on the illuminated scrolls in the church. Our Exning Heroes is confused over the Regiment, the Regiment was the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby) Regiment. The 9th battalion does not appear to have a particular name, unlike the 7th who were the "Robin Hoods". Vicar's entry in "Our Exning Heroes" reads as follows: Everett, V.J.. Jack Everett was in the Notts and Derby Regiment, having formerly been in the 9th Sherwood Foresters. He was in the Suvla Bay landing and was killed in action on August 9th, 1915, at the age of twenty-six. He sang in the parish church choir as a boy, and was a clever football player, being one of the Exning team, and representing the village in many of their matches. When war broke out he was working for the Duke of Portland at Welbeck Abbey, and had formerly worked for Lord Durham. |
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The Newmarket Journal of 11th September 1915 reported:-KILLED AT THE DARDANELLES:- Through the private secretary to the Duke of Portland, Mr.H. Everitt, of Lacey's Lane, Exning, has received news that his son, Pte.Jack Everitt, of the Service Battalion, Notts and Derby Regiment, had been killed in action at Gallipoli on Aug.9th. In forwarding the intelligence the secretary expressed the deep sympathy of the Duke and Duchess of Portland with Mr. and Mrs Everitt in their loss. Mr. Jack Everitt, who was 26 years of age, was for a time employed under Mr.Kelleway at the Earl of Durham's stud farm, Exning, and more recently had been in the employ of the Duke of Portland, at the famous Welbeck Stud, where so many notable racehorses have been bred. He enlisted in the Notts and Derby Regiment soon after the outbreak of the war. While at Exning he was, for several years, one of the principal playing members of the Exning Football Club, and was a member of the team that won the Tanner Cup. He usually partnered Mr. Joe Enoch at full back. The five sons of Mr. and Mrs Everitt all enlisted, and three of them are now in France, while the youngest is still under training in England. Widespread sympathy will be felt for Mr. and Mrs Everitt in the sacrifice which they have made for King and Country. No official intimation from the War Office of Pte Everitt's death has as yet been received by his parents. He was killed two days after the 9th Battalion landed at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli. Here is an extract from an officer's account of the day Vicars died:- 9th-13th Aug 1915. HQ 33rd Bde. "I have the honour to submit [the] following report of the action of Aug 9th and the following days: - 04:00 The Bn [9th (Service) Bn SHERWOOD FORESTERS] moved off at 04:00 under command of Col BROADRICK to take up a line from DAMAK JELIK BAIR to Pt 105 W 5 *, a frontage of roughly 1500 yards where they were ordered to be in position by 0600. Sniper fire was met about 500 yards W of AZMAK DERE and was impossible to locate. The advance was steadily continued tho' no reply to the increasing fire could be made - unlike (?) the Right B Coy under Capt SQUIRES reached the AZMAK DERE, the left being about H in HETMAN CHAIR , C Coy under Capt RANDALL . These Coys formed the original firing line and supports, A and B Coys being in second line. C Coy had orders to get on the left & B Coy on the right of the new lines. The remaining Coys had a small reserves having orders to align as reserve (?). A Coy on the Left of B Coy and D Coy less reserve on Right of C Coy . This was I believe the plan tho' it was not communicated to me in detail, my orders being to bring up the second line when sent for. Owing to the outwards inclines of C and B Coys, A Coy had been sent up to the centre about 105 V 8 and at once came under hot fire from front and oblique fire from Right and Left. However owing to the difficult country and length of front it had taken/tasked(?) to establish connections with B Coy on its Right. D Coy was almost at once brought up by myself and succeeded in obtaining touch with C Coy 's Right. The time was about 0600. The line with the exception of B continued to advance in rushes with great steadiness in spite of heavy loss until the left reached the point redered i.e. 105 W 5. The centre however pushed on too far owing that touch was never established with the Right Coys, the position about 14:00 being this [Diagram]... Capt SQUIRES Comd B Coy grasping the position attempted to move 2 Coys forwards to his left and started his left himself with great bravery. He was at once killed and his left platoon decimated as the Turks had pushed a larger force about 2 Coys into the gap and began to open a heavy enfilade fire on both A and B Coys. This was about 15:30. It now became absolutely imperative to retire the centre and left. B Coy having(?) some shelling in AZMAK DERE. The Right of A Coy were for a moment unsteadied, all their Officers being killed or wounded but it was only for a moment as Lt SCOTHERN siezed a rifle and with it threatened to shoot any man who did not fom up along a ledge about 50 yards in rear. This had an immediate effect and A Coy retired well in hand, D and C Coys returing also about 100 yards in an orderly manner. This retirement took place about 1600 and was ordered by Lt Col BOSANQUET in person who was then wounded in the arm. At about 19:00 Lt Col BOSANQUET went to have his wound dressed and upon being sent back by the Medical Officer handed over command to me. ... I proceeded at once to start a permanent defensive line which necessitated a further retirement of my centre and left. The whole line then ran(?) from X Rd South of 92 A3 to 105 W 1...... During the night we were threatened by parties of enemy but no serious attack was made. The men were made to dig in and the 1st HEREFORD Territorials prolonged our line to the R along the AZMAK DERE. This Bn was withdrawn by DIV Order about 01:30 on the 10th." Of the 108 men of the battalion killed on the 9th August, only four have identified graves, the rest are named on the Helles Memorial. |
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