Personal dedication on CWGC headstone: 'He died for home and country'
Extract from Nottinghamshire County Council, Education Committee Elementary, minutes of meeting 27 July 1915: 'The Committee have also heard with much regret of the death of ... and of Lieutenant C E Atherley, attached to the Dublin Fusiliers, formerly a pupil teacher at Hucknall Torkard, and an Assistant in the Chilwell Council Schools who has been killed in the Dardanelles.'
Hucknall Torkard Beardall Street Council School Boys Department, entry at front of Log [teacher details]: 'Ernest Atherley commenced duty 9 August 1910 – July 1912. Killed in the Great War – June 1915 – The Dardanelles.' (Nottinghamshire Archives ref. SL91 1/2)
Probate. 'Atherley Christopher Ernest of 86 Front-street Arnold Nottinghamshire a lieutenant in His Majesty’s Army died 17 June 1915 at Gallipoli Administration (with will) Nottingham 10 August to Mary Ann Atherley (wife of Christopher Atherley) [mother]. Effects £14 10s 8d.'
There is a photograph of Christopher on the website: www.goinwith.com/slideshows.
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 26 June 1915: Atherley. Died of wounds, date not reported, Lieut. CE Atherly, 11th Battalion KOYLI, attached 1st Dublin Fusiliers, aged 21 years, dearly-beloved son of C and MA Atherly, 86, Front-street, Arnold. For his country.’.(www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Article published on 9th July 1915 in the Nottingham Evening Post :-
“ARNOLD LIEUT.'S “GALLANT BEHAVIOUR”
“TRIBUTES TO THE LATE LIEUT. ATHERLEY.
“Further particulars are forthcoming concerning the late Lieut. C. E. Atherley, of the 11th Batt. K.O.Y.L.I., whose death from wounds was announced last month. Lieut. Atherley, who belonged to Arnold, was formerly associated with the Nottingham University College Officers’ Training Corps.
“Lieut. Sellars, a fellow officer, in a letter to Lieut. Atherley’s parents, writes: “No doubt the O.C. will inform you that he had recommended him to the general for the work he did. He was holding a trench with about 100 men when the Turks, 500 of them, attacked. He stuck there with a few men until he was forced to retire to our main line. On reaching this he, with more men, drove them back, and recaptured the trench. It was here that he was shot. Our machine guns wiped all of them out, against our 37 killed and wounded.”
“Major C. B. J. Riccard, 1st Royal Dublin Fusiliers, in a letter to Mr. Atherley, says: “I cannot speak too highly of his gallant behaviour during the action. I have had the pleasure of bringing his services to the notice of the general commanding the brigade. I myself, and all ranks, deeply regret his loss.”
Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918.