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Captain Wilfred Chaundler MESSENGER
12th (Service) Battalion Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) Date of birth: 13th August 1891 Date of death: 16th September 1917 Died of wounds aged 26 Buried at St Sever Cemetery Rouen Officers Plot Row B Grave 10.4
Wilfred Chaundler Messenger was born at "Bonhams", Alton in Hampshire on the 13th of August 1891 the second son of John Messenger, a farmer, and Mary (nee Chaundler) Messenger of “Bonhams”, Alton. He was baptised on the 25th of September 1891. He was educated at Eggars Grammar School in Alton, Eastman’s School, Southsea and at Lancing College where he was in Seconds House from September 1906 to July 1908. He served as a Private in the Officer Training Corps throughout his time at the school. On leaving school he studied engineering as an apprentice at Wallsend-on-Tyne and lodged at 95 St George’s Terrace, Jesmond. In 1913 he left for South Africa. Following the outbreak of war he volunteered at Johannesburg for service with the Rand Rifles as Rifleman 132 and served during the Boer Rebellion and in German South West Africa from the 1st of October 1914 until the 28th of July 1915 when the unit was disbanded. He then returned to England to seek a commission. He applied for a commission on the 11th of September 1915 expressing a preference for either the Rifle Brigade or the King's Royal Rifle Corps. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 14th (Reserve) Battalion Rifle Brigade on the 1st of October 1915 and reported to their Depot on the 5th of October. He served in France from the 22nd of February 1916 where he was attached to the 12th Battalion of his regiment. On the 6th of June 1916 the battalion was at Gully Farm in the Ypres salient when, at 12.15, the enemy opened a barrage on the Rifle Brigade positions, damaging the parapet and cutting telephone communications from the companies in the front line to Battalion Headquarters. At 3.15pm the enemy exploded two mines under the British trenches. One went off well in front of the trenches of the 6th Battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry but did no damage. The other went off under the trenches of the 12th Battalion Rifle Brigade, destroying fifty yards of trench and burying Wilfred Messenger and twenty two men of No.1 Platoon. He was buried for three hours and was rescued by the devotion of his servant and of 2nd Lieutenant Monks, who led the team which dug him out. Only he and ten men were pulled out alive and 77 casualties were suffered by the battalion during the attack. His mother received the following telegram dated the 26th of July 1916:- "Lt W.C. Messenger 14th Bn Rifle Brigade was admitted July 3rd to No.14 general Hospital Boulogne suffering from severe traumatic neurasthenia." He was evacuated back to England for rest and returned to his unit in France on the 5th of July but, still suffering from shellshock, he collapsed in the trenches and was returned to hospital. On the 25th of July he embarked at Boulogne on board the Hospital Ship "St Denis" and landed at Dover at midnight on the 26th of July. He was taken to 4th General Hospital in London. On the 28th of July 1916 a Medical Board sat at 4th General Hospital, London to consider his case:- "He is suffering from shell shock--was blown up. Came to England for rest. Returned to France July 5th 1916. Collapsed in trenches after 3 days. Headaches. Tremors!" he was granted a month's sick leave to be taken at home in Alton. On the 22nd of August 1916 a Medical Board which sat at Aldershot concluded that:- "He has not recovered sufficiently to be fit for overseas service." Later the same day he was posted to the 15th (Reserve) Battalion of his regiment based at Seaford where he remained until the 22nd of September 1916 when he attended a Medical Board at Seaford which concluded that:- "He has recovered. Fit for general service." He returned to France where he rejoined his battalion in the field. On the 8th of April 1917 the battalion was in the front line between Havrincourt Wood and Ruyaulcourt and undertook an advance of some 1,000 yards with patrols pushed out in front of the advance. On the morning of the 9th Captain Messenger's patrol was involved in skirmishes with the German rearguard and inflicted a number of casualties on the enemy. On the 16th of August 1917 the 12th Battalion Rifle Brigade was in support of an attack at Langemark which would begin at 4.45am. The initial attack went well, with the assaulting battalions securing their objectives. At 9.40am an aeroplane dropped a message at Brigade Headquarters which stated that German troops had been spotted massing some 2,000 yards to the south of Langemark near Poelcappelle and the 12th Battalion Rifle Brigade was ordered to cross the Steenbeek and be prepared to hold the grounds at all costs. Between noon and 3pm they were subjected to heavy shelling which caused twenty casualties among the men of A Company. Throughout the rest of the day and into the night the battalion's companies were rushed to assist the lead battalions holding the line to their front as the German counterattack swept the front line. The fighting continued into the following day. Casualties over the two days were one officer and thirty one other ranks killed with eleven officers wounded and one hundred and forty eight other ranks wounded with seven other ranks missing. Wilfred Messenger among the wounded having suffered a gunshot wound in the thigh and a compound fracture of the femur. He was evacuated to the 2nd Red Cross Hospital at Rouen. His mother received the following telegram dated the 19th of August 1917:- "Regret to inform you that Capt W.C. Messenger Rifle brigade was wounded August sixteenth. Particulars will be sent when received." She received a further series of telegrams to appraise her of his progress:- Telegram dated the 21st of August 1917:- "Captain W.C. Messenger Rifle Brigade was admitted to Second Red Cross Hospital Rouen August twentieth with gunshot wound thigh severe. Further reports will be sent when received." Telegram dated the 22nd of August 1917:- "You are permitted to visit Capt W.C. Messenger dangerously ill at 2 Red Cross Hospital Rouen. You must produce this telegram at War Office (Officers' Casualty Dept) for exchange for permit. If you wish to substitute another name for visit your written authority sanctioning substitute must be attached to telegram. If you are unable to bear expense take this telegram to nearest police station." Telegram to Embarking Southampton dated the 22nd of August 1917:- "Permit No. 07I issued to Mrs Messenger who has permission to visit Capt Wilfred Chaundler Messenger twelfth Rifle Brigade at Two red Cross Hospital Rouen." Telegram dated the 31st of August 1917:- "Captain W.C. Messenger the Rifle Brigade still dangerously ill-considerable anxiety." Telegram dated the 6th of September 1917:- "Captain W.C. Messenger Rifle Brigade reported September third condition improved." Telegram dated the 15th of September 1917:- "Capt W.C. Messenger Rifle Brigade is still dangerously ill his condition shows no change since last reports." His mother received the following telegram dated the 16th of September 1917:- "Deeply regret to inform you that Capt. W.C. Messenger Rifle Brigade died of wounds 16th September. The Army Council express their sympathy." His Commanding Officer wrote:- “From the first he had shown what a splendid soldier he was. I never knew anyone who was keener on his work or took more trouble to look after his men. I am sure that it was only his keenness and courage that enabled him to join the battalion again after the terrible experiences he had near Ypres last year.” The Battalion Chaplain wrote:- "I can say with absolute truth that I have never met an officer whom I respected more, or one whom his men loved better. I could speak too of his deep and sincere religion, and his example was always for good, both to officers and men." He is commemorated on the war memorial at Froyle near Alton.

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