Trafford

Born at Knutsford, Cheshire in 1890, the son of Joseph & Mary Booth (nee
Mulvey).

1891 Census - Market Place, King Street, Knutsford, Cheshire.   Son - aged:
1 - born: Knutsford.   Head of household - Joseph Booth - Married - aged:
22 - occ: Mat Maker - born: Knutsford.    Also - Mary Booth - Wife - aged:
20 - born: Knutsford.

1901 Census - Market Place, King Street, Knutsford, Cheshire - Lodging
House with 15 boarders.     Boarder (son) - aged: 11 - born: Knutsford,
Cheshire.     Father - Joseph Booth - Boarder - Married - aged: 31 -
Bricklayer's Labourer - born: Knutsford.   Mother - Mary Booth  - aged: 29
- born: Knutsford.  Plus 3 younger siblings.

1911 Census - On Military Service at The Ridge, Jubbulpore, India - aged:
22 - Private with 2nd Bn Cheshire Rgt.

One of nine brothers & sisters living at No. 50 Chapel Street.

WO363 - Enlisted on 13/01/1908 - aged 18 years 4 months - Roman Catholic -
unmarried - employed as a Labourer - son of Joseph Booth, 50 Chapel Street,
Altrincham.    Height 5 feet 3 3/4 inches - chest 31 inches with a 2 1/2
inch expansion - weight 112 lb - sallow complexion - blueish grey eyes and
reddish brown hair.     Served at Chester from 13/01/1908 to 08/03/1909,
then at Bordon ???? from 09/03/1909 to 23/09/1909, then at Belfast from
24/09/1909 to 05/12/1910.     Posted overseas to Jubbulpore, India from
06/12/1910 to 15/11/1914.    Whilst at Jubbulpore, he was hospitalised from
06/01/1912 to 11/01/1912 for a non-malignant growth that was treated with
Nitric Acid.    Hospitalised again from 17/05/1913 to 23/05/1913 for
Malaria - parasites found, but found negative on discharge - placed on
Malaria register fo four months to attend for Quinine treatment.   
Stationed at Bhin Tal 04/09/1914 to 06/09/1914 when he was transferred to a
Stationary Hospital from 05/09/1914 to 09/09/1914 further treatment for
Malaria - N Pylexia Hem ??? B.T. Naiys ??? found - placed on Malaria
register again for four months Quinine treatment.    Embarked on H.M.T.
Braemar Castle for England 19/11/1914 - treated for simple diarrheoa -
first purgeted ? then Astruyeats ???

Drafted to France on 16/01/1915 where he was hospitalised from 12/02/1915
to 25/02/1915 being treated for frostbite and bronchitis at the No. 11
Stationary Hospital.     Listed as being killed sometime between the 8th
and 10th May 1915, but later confirmed as killed on the 8th.     The
Foreign Office received information from the German Government, via the
American Embassy, that he had been killed on Hill 30 at Wieltje and buried
there, by them, on the 10th May.

Home service     13/01/1908 to 05/12/1910 - 2 years 327 days.
India                    06/12/1910 to 18/11/1914 - 3 years 348 days.
British Voyage   19/11/1914 to 23/12/1914 - 35 days.
Home service     24/12/1914 to 15/01/1915 - 23 days.
France               16/01/1915 to 08/05/1915 - 112 days.
Total Service     7 years 115 days.

Medals sent to his father on 12/06/1919.

The 2nd Bn Cheshire Rgt were at Winchester - part of 84th Brigade, 28th
Division.    Moved to Southampton 16/01 and sailed for France.   Left Le
Havre by train on 18/01, arriving at Hazebrouck and then marching to their
billets at Merris.   Moved in buses to Vlamertinghe on 02/02 and from there
marched to Ypres.   Moved forward later and relieved French troops in
trenches running from the Ypres-Comines Canal to Hill 60.

By the end of March, they were in the trenches near Lindenhoek.   On 01/04
they  were relieved and marched to Dranoutre.   On to Bailleul on 03/03 and
to Vlamertinghe on 12/04.   Back into the trenches again near Zonnebeke on
15/04.   Withdrew to St. Jean 18/04 and into a support position near
Frezenberg on 22/04.   Returned to the front line again at Zonnebeke on
26/04.    Casualties between 26/04 & 04/05 were - 16 killed; 83 wounded;
and 23 missing.   On 04/05 the whole line of troops occupying the Ypres
Salient was withdrawn and the Battalion fell back to a new line running
just east of Frezenberg.    Took over line at Verlorenhoek on 07/05 and on
08/05 the Germans attacked them and three Companies were wiped out.   What
was left of the Battalion was brought out by just two sub-lieutenants and
only 32 men drew rations that night.

Death reported in the 25/09/1915 edition of the Altrincham Guardian.

His father served in the Pioneer Corps and 3 sons fought (1) Pte. John
Booth - 'D' Coy, 1st Bn Cheshire Rgt served up to Hill 60 when a shell
burst a few yards away, severely shattering one of his legs and was being
treated in the Whitechapel Military Hospital.    Pte Thomas of the 1st
Cheshire Rgt had been in the trenches since January 1915.   The youngest
son, Vincent was only a baby at the time and was featured in the local
newspaper 19/11/1992.