Reginald Anthony WINN, CORPORAL 2273
* Born: May 1894 at Haughton-le-Skerne
* Son of: George and Mary Jane Raine
* Local Address: 54 The Green, Haughton-le-Skerne
* Father's Occupation: House Builder
* Siblings: Six brothers, one sister, position in family 5
* Pre-War Occupation: Clerk, North of England School Furnishing Company
* Enlisted: 30 April 1912 at Darlington
* Regiment: 1st/5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry (DLI)
* Died: Killed in Action Monday 26 April 1915
* Age: 20
* Commemorated: Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium
Reginald Anthony Winn was born 4Q 1892 in Haughton-le-Skerne, the second child of John Thomas and Mary Winn. John Thomas Winn had married Mary Boddy in September 1890, and they had 10 children, but sadly two died in infancy. At the time of the 1911 census John Thomas Winn was described as a machinist – loco engineering, and Reg Winn was working as a grocer’s assistant. The family lived in Stockton Road, Haughton-le-Skerne.
Reginald Anthony Winn’s service record does not exist but we do know that he enlisted with 5/DLI. The Durham Light Infantry Regiment was a popular choice, as thirteen of our ‘Haughton Boys’ served with the DLI, eight of them serving with the 1st/5th Battalion. They would certainly have known each other.
Reg Winn is mentioned in a letter sent by Robert Bamlet to his parents in May/June 1915 describing trench warfare on the day that George White as killed – 25 May 1915, only a month since 5/DLI arrived in France.
“Tom (Tom Bamlet, Robert’s brother) and I got into the trench, and there were other two men next to us both Haughton boys, Reg. Winn and George White. There was very heavy firing going on at the time. In the trenches George was just saying he had got a letter from a friend who wished to be remembered to them, when he was ordered to do something. He never hesitated; but got straight out of the trench. Immediately, he was shot through the head, dying instantly. Another man next to him was killed also. I tell you it knocked us up properly for the rest of the day. It was very hard luck, as we were relieved the same night. George was not frightened to do his bit, no matter what it was he had to do. He would not set his men to do what he wouldn’t care to do himself, and he will be badly missed here.”
Some of the men had served with the Territorial Force before the war started. It is possible that Reg Winn also enlisted with the Territorials at that time but without evidence from the service record we have no way of knowing. Certainly, he was with 5/DLI when they left for France in April 1915 as this is detailed on his Medal Index Card. This means that he must have enlisted some time before that because he would have been trained in England before departing for the Front Line.
As part of the 150th Brigade of the 50th (Northumbrian) Division, 5/DLI served until August 1916 in the trenches of the Ypres Salient, Armentières, and Kemmel. The battalion moved south to join the Battle of the Somme in September 1916. Reg Winn was killed in action during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette which took place from 15 – 22 September 1915.
The Battle of Flers-Courcelette was the third main phase of the Battle of the Somme and is best known as the first tank battle in history, in which 49 Mk 1 tanks - the total the British Army possessed - were deployed. Such was their lack of reliability, however, that only 22 reached the front line, seven of which failed to start at zero hour. The battle was only partially successful, as although there were territorial gains of about 2km, it was eventually called off on 22 September.
50th (Northumbrian) Division, which included 5/DLI were in the thick of the action and sustained substantial losses. However, along with 15th (Scottish) Division, the 50th were able to capture the villages of Martinpuich and Courcelette and also the fiercely fought-over High Wood.
5/DLI’s Battalion War Diary describes events on 16 and 17 September 1916, when Reg Winn lost his life. 5/DLI suffered 103 casualties during the nine days of the battle. The majority of these have no known grave and, like Reg Winn, are commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
“9am 16th. 5th D.L.I. supported by Company of 4th E. Yorks was ordered to attack and hold STARFISH and PRUE trenches. The Companies were scattered all over and with great difficulty the attack was launched. At the beginning direction was rather lost by D Company and only the western end of STARFISH and PRUE trenches were captured. A good proportion of casualties were suffered from M.G. (machine gun) fire and snipers. For some time no satisfactory information could be obtained of the situation but by 12 noon on the 17th it was decided that enemy still held most of PRUE and part of the CRESCENT. A patrol was pushed up STARFISH but was bombed back. At 5.30pm a bombing attack was organised by us, supported by bombing parties of 4th and 5th Yorks. This attack was skilfully led by Lieut. E. Greville-Jones, and both objectives were taken and held against strong counter-attack”.
This part of the diary was written by Lieutenant-Colonel Gilbert Ormerod Spence who commanded 5/DLI at the time. Despite leading his men through some of the bloodiest battles of the First World War, Lieutenant-Colonel Spence survived the war and returned to his home at Preston Park, Stockton-on-Tees. It was Lieutenant-Colonel Spence who unveiled the Haughton-le-Skerne War Memorial on 7 April 1920. Sadly, he died in a car accident in 1925 aged 46.
Reg Winn has no known grave and is commemorated on Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme battlefields. The Thiepval Memorial bears the names of 72,194 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme battle sector.
At home in Haughton-le-Skerne, Reg Winn is one of the eighteen men of Haughton-le-Skerne, Barmpton and Great Burdon who are commemorated on the Memorial Cross at the western end of the village. He is also commemorated on the Brass Memorial Plaque in the church. Reg Winn is commemorated in the Book of Remembrance to 5/DLI in St. Thomas’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees, in the War Memorial Hospital, Darlington and on the Roll of Honour 1914-18 in Darlington Public Library. He is also named on the Winn family headstone in the churchyard of St Andrew’s Church, Haughton-le-Skerne.
The Winn family were well known in Haughton-le-Skerne. Reg Winn was a member of St Andrew’s Church choir. His younger brother Sergeant Roland Winn, who also fought and survived the First World War became secretary of Haughton-le-Skerne cricket club.
After the war Reg Winn’s family were sent his medals, which were the 1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
As can be seen from the inscription on the family gravestone, John and Mary Winn tragically lost three of their sons between September and December 1916.
IN
LOVING MEMORY OF
THE BELOVED SONS OF
JOHN THOMAS AND MARY WINN
REGINALD ANTHONY
KILLED IN ACTION IN FRANCE
SEPTEMBER 17TH 1916
AGED 23 YEARS
THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF
THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL
PERCY
DIED DECEMBER 17TH 1916
AGED 12 YEARS
CHARLES EDWARD
DIED DECEMBER 25TH 1916
AGED 17 YEARS
ALSO THE ABOVE
JOHN THOMAS
DIED NOVEMBER 2ND 1928
AGED 59 YEARS
ALSO THE ABOVE
MARY WINN
AGED 75 YEARS
ALSO HELEN ISABEL
DAUGHTER OF THE ABOVE
DIED JANUARY 7TH 1948
AGED 52 YEARS