Dawlish World War One Project

Hubert John Bright is on record as enlisting at Walworth, South London, and his initial posting was to the Rifle Brigade, service number Z/502. At some point he transferred to the Machine Gun Corps, Infantry battalion, service number 25800.

He entered France on the 11th January 1915.

The 17th Machine Gun Company was part of the 17th Brigade and formed part of the 24th Division. It fought in the Battle of Arras.

The British effort was a relatively broad frontal assault between Vimy in the north-west and Bullecourt in the south-east.

When the battle officially ended on 16 May, British Empire troops had made significant advances but had been unable to achieve a breakthrough.

The Arras Memorial is in the Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, which is in the Boulevard du General de Gaulle in the western part of the town of Arras. The cemetery is near the Citadel, approximately 2 kms due west of the railway station.

Hubert John Bright was awarded the 1915 Star, the British medal and the Victory Medal.

A Death grant of £7. 3s. 4d and a War Gratuity of £13. 0s. 0d were paid to his father Frederick.

At first sight Hubert John Bright has no clear connection to Dawlish for his parents moved from home to home wherever there was work. Frederick Bright married Charlotte Jarman(1874-1946) of Holcombe in the Oct-Dec Quarter of 1896. Hubert was one of twin boys born in Holcombe on 1st January 1897. Frederick and Charlotte are presumed to have roamed across East Devon as the recorded places of birth of their further children show. By 1911 they were living at “Burrows”, Clayhidon, Wellington, Somerset.  see detail in the document below.