Male Reginald Harry L/Cpl 46366

The user is advised to read the FINDING AIDS document linked to this catalogue for an explanation of the method by which this record has been created and any terms used.

Surname: Male;

Forename(s): Reginald Harry;

Initials: RH;

Number: 46366;

Rank: L/Cpl;

Enlisted in: Winchester;

Resided in: Malvern;

Previous Number: 1249;

Previous Regiment: Hants Yeo;

MGC Branch: Infantry;

MGC Unit: 6 Bn;

How killed: KIA;

Where: France;

When killed: 18-Sep-1918;

Other Data: b 1897 photo GS archives
Transport section (obit Winchester newspaper with extract of letter sent by CO to parents)

R e gi n al d H a r ry M al e, t h e s o n of G eo r g e H e n ry a n d C a r olin e F a n ny M al e, w a s b o r n
in S o u t h a m p t o n (no t Wyk e Hill, Winc h e s t er, a s s t a t e d in s ev e r al s o u r c e s) o n 2 4
F e b r u a ry 1 8 9 7. H e c a m e fro m a c o mfo r t a bl e b a c k g r o u n d: hi s fa t h e r w a s
S u p e ri n t e n d e n t of Win c h e s t e r Pos t Offic e w hile R e gi n al d hi m s elf a t t e n d e d P e t e r
Sy m o n d s S c h o ol b efo r e b e c o mi n g a b a n k cl e r k in 1 9 1 3. W h e n w a r b r o k e o u t, h e
e nlist e d wit h t h e H a m p s hi r e C a r a bi ni e r s Yeo m a n ry a n d la t e r t r a n sf e r r e d t o t h e
M a c hi n e G u n Co r p s. R e gi n al d s e rv e d for t w o y e a r s o n t h e Wes t e r n F r o n t a n d s a w
a c tio n in s o m e of t h e bloo di e s t fig h ti n g t h e r e. H e w a s kille d in a c tio n in
S e p t e m b e r 1 9 1 8 d u ri n g t h e Britis h Ar my’s fin al a dv a n c e t o victo ry.
R e gi n al d’s fa t h er, G e o r g e, w a s t h e s o n of H e n ry Willia m M al e a n d hi s wife
C a r olin e Kat e (n e e Lev e r t o n a n d k n o w n by h e r mi d dl e n a m e). H e n ry, a m a s t e r
m a ri n er, h a d b e e n b o r n in Wey mo u t h, Do r s e t, in a r o u n d 1 8 4 1 a n d Kat e in
W hit e p a ri s h, n e a r Ro m s ey, in M a r c h 1 8 4 6. Kat e a p p e a r s t o h av e b e e n b r o u g h t u p
by h e r m o t h e r a n d h e r g r a n df a t h er, Ric h a r d H u n t, a Ro m s ey in n k e e p er. By t h e
1 8 6 1 C e n s u s, Ka t e, t h e n a g e d 1 6, w a s livin g wit h h e r b r o t h e r Willia m, al so a
p u blic a n, a n d hi s wife E m m a a n d t h ei r fa mily, a t t h e Th r e e Tu n s in Mi d dl e b ri d g e
S t r e e t, Ro m s ey.
H e n ry M al e a n d Ka t e Lev e r t o n m a r ri e d in M o t tisfo n t, n e a r Ro m s ey, o n 1 6 Ap ril
1 8 6 7. Th e followin g y e ar, o n 2 8 Oc to b er, Kat e g av e bi r t h t o G e o r g e – R e gi n al d
M al e’s fat h e r - in Ro m s ey. Th e 1 8 7 1 C e n s u s r e c o r d e d H e n ry, Ka t e a n d yo u n g
G e o r g e livin g a t 1 0, Ab e r d e e n Ro a d, S t D e ny s, S o u t h a m p t o n. H o w ev er, o n 2 1
D e c e m b e r 1 8 7 5 Ka t e di e d a t t h e a g e of jus t 2 9.
O n 1 5 Au g u s t 1 8 7 7 H e n ry M al e r e m a r ri e d. His s e c o n d wif e, F a n ny O a k e
1 9 2 2), h a d b e e n b o r n o n t h e Isle of Wig h t in a r o u n d 1 8 4 0 a n d in 1 8 6 1 s h e w a s
e m ploy e d a s a m ai d in t h e Ry d e h o m e of Aug u s t u s Cliffo r d, a r e ti r e d Roy al N a vy
Ad mi r al. F a n ny a n d H e n ry m a r ri e d in Le wis h a m , Ke n t, a n d in 1 8 7 8 t h e c o u pl e h a d
a s o n, C h a rl e s F r e d e ric k. Th e 1 8 8 1 C e n s u s list e d F a n ny livin g a t 3, Brig h t o n
Te r r a c e , S o u t h a m p t o n, wi t h h e r o c c u p a tio n giv e n a s ‘lod gi n g h o u s e k e e p e r’.
Alt ho u g h yo u n g C h a rl e s w a s livin g wit h h e r o n C e n s u s ni g h t H e n ry M al e w a s n o t.
M e a n w hil e, G e o r g e M al e, H e n ry’s s o n by hi s firs t m a r ri a g e, w a s b ei n g look e d
af t e r by hi s u n cl e a n d a u n t, Willia m a n d E m m a Lev e r t o n, a t t h ei r h o m e , Tro u t
Co t t a g e , C hilbolto n, n e a r S t o c k b ri d g e, H a m p s hi r e. Willia m w a s n o lo n g e r a
p u blic a n b u t e m ploy e d a s a s c h o ol m a s t er. Th e 1 8 8 1 C e n s u s als o r e c o r d e d a n o t h e r
n e p h e w livin g wit h t h e Lev e r t o n s – ni n e-y e a r-old H a r ry M al e, p r o b a bly G e o r g e’s
b r o t h er. N o fu r t h e r r e c o r d c a n b e fo u n d of H a r ry M al e, b u t it is w o r t h n o ti n g t h a t
R e gi n al d M al e’s mi d dl e n a m e w a s H a r ry.
Th e r e is n o t r a c e of G e o r g e M al e in t h e 1 8 9 1 C e n s u s, b u t in 1 8 9 3 h e m a r ri e d
C a r olin e F a n ny Lock in An dov er. C a r olin e h a d b e e n b o r n in Rin g w o o d, H a m p s hi r e,
o n 2 3 Ja n u a ry 1 8 7 0. O n 2 0 Ju n e 1 8 9 4 s h e g av e bi r t h t o a s o n, Willia m, a n d a
d a u g h t er, Winifr e d, o n 1 5 Aug u s t 1 8 9 5. Bo t h c hild r e n w e r e b o r n in S o u t h a m p t o n,
a s w a s R e gi n al d, w h o a r riv e d in 1 8 9 7 a n d Gla dy s, b o r n in 1 9 0 0. It is p o s si bl e t h a t
all t h e c hild r e n w e r e b o r n a t 8 4, Go r d o n Ave n u e, Po r t s w o o d, S o u t h a m p t o n, a s t his
w a s t h e a d d r e s s giv e n for t h e fa mily in t h e 1 9 0 1 C e n s u s. Ge o r g e, t h e n a g e d 3 2,
w a s w o r ki n g a s a Pos t Offic e cl e r k a n d h e a n d C a r olin e w e r e p r o s p e r o u s e n o u g h t o
e m ploy a live-in s e rv a n t.
Willia m M al e a t t e n d e d S o u t h a m p t o n Boys’ Colle g e, a p riv a t e s e c o n d a ry, a n d it is
lik ely t h a t R e gi n al d w a s als o a p u pil t h e r e . O n 7 M ay 1 9 0 9 b o t h b oy s w e r e
a d mi t t e d t o P e t e r Sy m o n d s S c h o ol in Win c h e s t e r follo wi n g t h ei r fa t h e r’s
a p p oi n t m e n t t h e p r evio u s ye a r a s C hi ef Cl e r k a t t h e city’s Po s t Offic e, t h e n
sit u a t e d in P a r c h m e n t S t r e e t. (Re gi n al d’s d a t e of a d mi s sio n o n t h e P e t e r Sy m o n d s
r e c o r d s is giv e n a s 7 M a y 1 9 0 7 b u t t hi s is al m o s t c e r t ai nly a n e r r or.) Th e g r a m m a r
s c h o ol r e c o r d s d o n o t s h o w eit h e r Willia m o r R e gi n al d r e c eivin g a n y s o r t of g r a n t
s o o n e m u s t a s s u m e t h ei r p a r e n t s p ai d t h e fe e s.
Co m m o n w e al t h Wa r G r av e s Co m mi s sio n r e c o r d s w r o n gly giv e R e gi n al d’s
bi r t h pl a c e a s Wyk e Hill, Winc h e s t er. In fac t, t h e M al e s m ov e d fro m S o u t h a m p t o n
t o live a t Tr ev e n n a, U p p e r S t o c k b ri d g e Ro a d, w hic h h a d p r e vio u sly b e e n k n o w n a s
Wyk e/We e k e Ro a d o r Hill w hic h m a y p a r tly ex pl ai n t h e e r r or. Tod ay, t h e h o u s e is
N o. 1 7 6, S t o c k b ri d g e Ro a d, alt h o u g h t h e n a m e E c cl e sfield al so a p p e a r s a b ov e t h e
d o o r w ay.
Willia m M al e left P e t e r Sy m o n d s S c h o ol in F e b r u a ry 1 9 1 1 t o b e c o m e a n a p p r e n tic e
loco m o tiv e e n gi n e er, p r o b a bly a t t h e E a s tl ei g h r ailw ay w o r k s. R e gi n al d left ju s t
ov e r t w o y e a r s lat er, o n 7 Ju n e 1 9 1 3. H e join e d t h e Alto n b r a n c h of t h e U nio n of

Lo n d o n a n d S mi t h’s B a n k a s a cl e r k a n d w a s w o r ki n g t h e r e w h e n Brit ai n w e n t t o
w a r in Aug u s t 1 9 1 4.
Th e followin g m o n t h, a g e d jus t 1 7, R e gi n al d M al e volu n t e e r e d fo r m ilit a ry s e rvic e,
joini n g t h e H a m p s hi r e C a r a bi ni e r s Yeo m a n ry a s a t r o o p e r wit h t h e s e rvic e n u m b e r
1 2 4 9. Th e H a m p s hi r e Yeo m a n ry, p a r t of Brit ai n’s Ter rito ri al Fo r c e (TF), w e r e
t r ai n e d a n d e q ui p p e d a s m o u n t e d inf a n t ry. Th e Hy d e Clos e Drill H all in Win c h e s t e r
s e rv e d a s t h e u ni t’s h e a d q u a r t e r s a n d t h e r e w e r e fou r S q u a d r o n s (A, B, C a n d D)
b a s e d a t Po r t s m o u t h , Win c h e s t er, S o u t h a m p t o n, a n d Bo u r n e m o u t h. It is n o t k n o w n
fo r c e r t ai n w hi c h S q u a d r o n R e gi n al d join e d b u t t h e r e is a g o o d c h a n c e t h a t it w a s
B, giv e n t h a t it w a s b a s e d in Win c h e s t e r w h e r e h e live d a n d h a d a d e t a c h m e n t in
Alto n w h e r e h e w o r k e d.
R e gi n al d di d n o t fig h t ov e r s e a s wit h t h e H a m p s hi r e Yeo m a n ry. In s t e a d h e
c o m pl e t e d hi s b a sic t r ai ni n g wit h t h e m a n d t h e n s e rv e d o n t h e h o m e fro n t, firs t in
Po r t s m o u t h a n d t h e n in S u s s ex. In Ap ril 1 9 1 6 h e w a s c o m p uls o rily t r a n sf e r r e d t o
t h e M a c hi n e G u n Co r p s (Inf a n t ry), w hic h h a d b e e n for m e d in S e p t e m b e r t h e
p r e vio u s ye ar, a n d alloc a t e d t h e n e w s e rvic e n u m b e r 4 6 3 6 6. R e gi n al d w a s s e n t t o
t h e MGC H Q a n d Tr ai ni n g C e n t r e a t B elto n P a r k, n e a r Gr a n t h a m , Lin col n s hi r e, fo r
a n in t e n siv e g u n n e r y co u r s e b efo r e e m b a r ki n g fo r F r a n c e in S e p t e m b e r a s p a r t of
1 6 t h M a c hi n e Gu n Co m p a ny in 6 t h Divisio n.

At the time Reginald Male arrived on
the Western Front, all MGC units
were Companies - one to each Brigade
– comprising about 150 men and
fielding 16 heavy Vickers MK1
machine guns. These were each
operate d in by a team of six men – No.
1 who fired the gun, No. 2 who
assisted, feeding ammunition belts,
No. 3 a range taker using an optical
instrum e n t, No. 4 the signaller, and
Nos. 5 and 6 who carried boxes of
ammunition and doubled- up as
runners or scouts. This accounte d for
96 men. The majority of those
remaining served in the transport
section which operate d six four- wheeled
limbers wagons) drawn by horses or mules.
Their purpose was to keep the guns supplied
with ammunition, spare parts and other materials from dumps several miles behind
the front line. It was an arduous and dangerou s job since the Germans kept all the

roads and tracks leading to the front under constant bombar d m e n t from shells and
aerial attacks.
It appears that Reginald initially served with the gun section and that he also doubled
as servant to one of the Company officers. He later transferr e d to the transpor t
section, no doubt becaus e of his expertise with horses gained while serving with the
Hampshire Carabiniers. He would have enjoyed periods of home leave, but from 1917
these would have been spent in Pembroke, South Wales, where his father had been
appointed Postmast e r at the docks Post Office.
The heavy machine gun was one of the most effective weapons of the Great War and
there are numero us instances of a single well- placed weapon cutting great swathes in
attacking infantry – most infamously on 1 July 1916, the first day of the British
Army’s Somme offensive. It followed that multiple machine guns, with interlocking
fields of fire, were an incredibly destructive defensive weapons system and the
Germa ns employed them in huge numbe rs after withdra wing to the Hindenb u r g Line
in spring 1917. The British copied this but also used machine guns during attacks – in
particular creeping barra g e s, where fire fell ahead of the artillery barrag e to catch
enemy troops moving to the rear. Machine gunners like Reginald would also
concentr a t e fire on specific targets or sweep the ground behind the enemy’s front
and support positions. For these tasks, machine guns were generally placed about
1000 yards behind the advancing infantry and then moved up as soon as the enemy
positions were capture d.
The Somme Offensive was still raging when Reginald arrived on the Western Front in
Septem b e r 1916. The precise date that he joined his unit is unknown, but it may have
been in time for him to see action at the Battle of Flers- Courcelette (15- 22
Septem b e r), the capture of Lesboefs (25 Septe mb e r) and the Battle of Morval (25- 28
Septem b e r). He almost certainly took part in the Battle of the Transloy Ridges (9-18
October). The following year 16th Machine Gun Company was involved in the fighting
on Hill 70 near Lens (13- 22 April 1917) and then in the tank attack at Cambrai (20- 21
Novemb e r), the capture of Bourlon Wood (23- 28 Novemb e r) and helping to stem the
Germa n counter- attacks (30 Novembe r- 3 Decembe r).
By the start of 1918 Reginald Male was a harde n e d veteran of the Western Front and
had been promoted to Lance- Corporal . That spring the four Machine Gun Companies
in each Division were amalgam a t e d to form Machine Gun Corps Battalions, the old
16th Company becoming A Company of the 6th Battalion MGC. The unit was heavily
involved during the German Spring Offensives – at the Battle of St Quentin (21- 22
March), the Battle of Bailleul (13- 15 April), the Second Battle of Kemmel Ridge (25-
26 April) and the Battle of the Scherp e n b e r g (29 April).

Reginald survived this bitter fighting after which 6 th MG Battalion enjoyed a period
out of the front line to rest and re- equip. During the summe r the tide of the war
began to change inexorably in favour of the Allies and by Septem b e r the British Army
had recaptu r e d much of the ground lost in the spring. On 18 Septem b e r, Reginald –
by this stage serving in the battalion’s transpo rt section – took part in a major assault
on the French village of Epehy, which guarde d the approach to the Hindenb u r g Line.
He was killed in action the same day, aged 21.
On 28 Septemb e r, under the headline Roll of Honour (page 5), the Hampshire
Chronicle report ed:
Lance- Corpl. R.H. Male MGC – the many friends in Wincheste r of Mr G.H.
Male, Postmast e r of Pembroke Docks (formerly Superinte n d e n t at Wincheste r
Post Office), will regret to hear that he has this week received the news that
his youngest son, Reginald Harry, was killed in action in France on Septem b e r
18 th . Lance- Corpl. Male – whose age was 21 – previous to joining the Army was
a clerk in the Union of London and Smiths Bank at Alton. In Septemb e r 1914,
at the age of 17, he joined the Hampshire Carabiniers Yeomanry. In April 1916
he was transferre d to the Machine Gun Corps Depot at Granth a m and
proceed e d overseas to France in Septe mb e r 1916.
The Comman ding Officer of the section, in a letter to Mr Male informing him of
his son’s death, writes: ‘Personally, I viewed Lance- Corpl. Male’s career with
the greatest interest. He was my personal messen g e r a good while ago, when
we were both in the gun sections, and as such I had many opportunities of
observing his unswerving devotion to duty and the high person al regard with
which he imbued all those with whom he came into contact. The Battalion has
lost a good soldier, but we of the Transport have lost more than that – we have
lost a loveable and faithful comrad e. With sincere sympathy in your
bereave m e n t, from all his comrad e s in the Transport, I remain &c.’
Reginald’s parents had, of course, moved from Winchester by this time but they
clearly still had friends in the city, including, presum a bly, in Fulflood and Weeke.
This helps to explain why they decided to have their son’s name included on the two
parish war memorials. Commonwe a t h War Graves Commission records give George
and Caroline Male’s address as Hollan d Hous e, Churc h Stre e t, Malver n,
Worces t e r s h i r e , which is possibly the addr e s s to which they moved after Georg e
was tran sfe r r e d by the Post Office from Pemb ro k e in the early to mid 1920 s.
By 1939 Georg e Male had retire d and he and Caroline were living at 10,
Brightla n d s Avenue, Boure m o u t h , along with their daug h t e r Winifred who was
unm a r ri e d . Georg e died in Bourn e m o u t h on 26 Febr u a r y 1941, aged 72. In his will
he left £443 5s to Caroline who pass e d away in early 1963 at the age of 92 or 93.
Winifred Male was recor d e d working as an ARP ward e n in the 1939 Regist e r. No
furth e r recor d of her has been found to date.
It is not known wheth e r William Male, Reginald’s elder broth e r , serve d during the
Great War – it is possible that his job as a railway engine e r was a rese rv e d

occup a tio n. In 1929 he marrie d Mildre d Morg a n in Ashby- de- la- Zouch,
Leicest e r s h i r e. Ten years later, the couple were living in Birmin g h a m with William
employe d as an inspec to r of engin e e ri n g part s at the Austin works wher e he was
also an ARP ward e n . It is not believe d that he and Mildre d had any childre n .
William died in Birming h a m on 3 April 1974, aged 79, leaving £9,28 9 in his will.
Reginald’s young e r siste r, Gladys, is thou g h t to have mar rie d Alfred Walker in
South a m p t o n in 1932 and died in Winch e s t e r in Sept e m b e r 1998, age d 98.
Medals and memorials for Reginald Harry Male
La n c e -Corp or al R e g i n a l d H arry M a l e w a s e n ti tl e d t o t h e Briti s h War M e d a l
a n d t h e Vict ory M e d a l. H e w a s b u ri e d a t Tref c o n B riti s h C e m e t e ry,
Ca u l ai n c o u r t, Ais n e , Fra n c e (GR. B . 1 0 ). H i s h e a d s t o n e i s i n s cri b e d wi t h t h e
f oll o wi n g:
THY WILL B E DO N E
R e g i n a l d i s m e n t i o n e d o n t h e m e m o ri al s a t S t P a u l’s Ch ur c h , Fulfl o o d , a n d S t
M a t t h e w’ s Ch ur c h , We e k e , a s w e ll a s o n t h e P e t e r S y m o n d s S c h o o l War
M e m o ri al. H i s n a m e al s o a p p e ar s o n t h e N a t i o n a l Pr ovi n ci al a n d U n i o n B a n k
o f E n g l a n d War M e m o ri al i n t h e City o f Lo n d o n , t h e P e m b r o k e a n d M o n k t o n
War M e m o ri al i n P e m b r o k e , Dyf e d , a n d t h e m e m o ri al a t S t M ary t h e Vir gi n
Ch ur c h , P e m b r o k e .;

Other Notes: MALE, Lance Corporal, REGINALD HARRY, 46366. 6th Bn. Machine Gun Corps (Inf). 18th September 1918. Age 21. Son of George Henry and Caroline Fanny Male, of Holland House, Church St., Malvern, Worcs. Native of Wyke Hill, Winchester. B. 10. Trefcon British Cemetery, Caulaincourt - Aisne, France.;

Is photo available? Yes, see VMGCRA Patreon

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