Private Horace Paul Cath
| Date of Birth | c. 1882 |
|---|---|
| Age at Death | 36 |
| Date of Death | 18 November 1916 |
| Service Number | G/11317 |
| Military Service | 7th Battalion East Kent Regiment |
| Merton Address | |
| Local Memorial | Rutlish School, Merton |
Additional Information
Horace Paul was the eldest son of 32 year old Horace, a publisher clerk by profession and 32 year old Marie from Constance in Switzerland. Horace Paul was born in February 1882 in Geneva, Switzerland according to the 1891 Census. It is not clear when the Cath family returned to England.
Horace attended Tooting Graveney Boy’s School in Wandsworth from the 12th May 1890
At the time of the 1891 Census, the family were living in Robinson road, Mitcham, Surrey with Horace’s 7 year old brother Henry and one year old Hubert. By the 1901 Census, 42 year old Horace senior had progressed up the career ladder to become a publisher work-keeper.
0n the 12th April 1904, 22 year old Horace Paul shows up on Lake Erie passenger list departing from Liverpool and arriving at St John, New Brunswick in Canada.
25 year old Horace Paul, a clerk by profession, married 21 year old Daisy Ethel Eastwood on 31st August 1907 at Christ Church in Mitcham.
At the time of the 1911 Census, 29 year Horace Paul, a book keeper, and 25 year old Daisy were now living at 34 Cromer Street in Tooting with their 2 children Horace age 1 year and their daughter Berthe age just 6 months.
Horace’s service record reveals that he enlisted at St Paul’s Churchyard in London at the age of 33 years on the 1st of December 1915. At the time of enlistment, he was residing at 58 Malvern Road in Surbiton Surrey, and was employed as a cashier. He was 5ft 7inches tall with brown eyes and a sallow complexion.
By December 1915, Horace and Daisy had 4 children, Horace Charles who was born on 19/07/1909. Berthe Gwendolyn, who was born on the 16/09/1910 and Ella Pauline on the 13/02/1913. Their youngest son, Bryan Hubert arrived on the 16th March 1917. All 4 children were born in Tooting
It is not clear how Horace Paul died but probate from his will states that he died in Germany as a prisoner of war, he was buried at Thiepval Cemetery in France. He left an estate of £289 4s 4p to his widow Daisy Ethel.
Historical Information
On 1 July 1916, supported by a French attack to the south, thirteen divisions of Commonwealth forces launched an offensive on a line from north of Gommecourt to Maricourt. Despite a preliminary bombardment lasting seven days, the German defences were barely touched and the attack met unexpectedly fierce resistance. Losses were catastrophic and with only minimal advances on the southern flank, the initial attack was a failure. In the following weeks, huge resources of manpower and equipment were deployed in an attempt to exploit the modest successes of the first day. However, the German Army resisted tenaciously and repeated attacks and counter attacks meant a major battle for every village, copse and farmhouse gained. At the end of September, Thiepval was finally captured. The village had been an original objective of 1 July. Attacks north and east continued throughout October and into November in increasingly difficult weather conditions. The Battle of the Somme finally ended on 18 November with the onset of winter.
In the spring of 1917, the German forces fell back to their newly prepared defenses, the Hindenburg Line, and there were no further significant engagements in the Somme sector until the Germans mounted their major offensive in March 1918.