Robert Vanes

James Vanes, photographed after the war with his medal ribbons.

I am grateful to John Barker for providing the photographs and information used in this account.

James and Robert Vanes were the sons of Walter and Sarah Vanes of Chapel-en-le-Frith. James, born in 1895, was three years older than Robert. They both voluntarily enlisted into the 1/6th Territorial Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters in September 1914, Robert a few days after James.

The brothers and the 1/6th were sent to France in February 1915 and served with the battalion through to the end of the war: their baptism of fire near Ypres and the Hohenzollern Redoubt in 1915, the Somme of 1916, Hill 70 in 1917 and the Advance in Flanders, St Quentin Canal, Beaurevoir, Cambrai and the Selle in a torrid 1918.

By August 1918 James had become a Corporal in B Company and, not for the first time, displayed great courage under fire. His bravery was recognised by his commanding officer who recommended him for the Military Medal which was gazetted on 11 December 1918. His citation read:

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on a fighting patrol north east of Bethune on the night of 13/14th August 1918. The N.C.O was in charge of the right flank party and when the main party met with point blank fire from two machine guns and many bombs, and all but two were casualties, he and his two men worked forard and silenced one gun with bombs, inflicting casualties on the enemy. The fire from the other gun prevented them from going on and Corporal Vanes was wounded and withdrew his party, being helped back hinslef. Hearing that there was an N.C.O wounded and still lying out in no-mans-land, Corporal Vanes, in spite of his painful wound, went out again and helped to bring him in. Corporal Vanes did splendid work on a fighting patrol near Hulluch on January 2nd 1918, also repelling a hostile raiding party on the same night.

Shortly afterwards James was promoted to Lance Sergeant. The two brothers survived the war and upon demobilisation of the 1/6th in the first half of 1919, they were both home for the summer. James was officially discharged on 22 July 1919. Tragically their experience of peace would be short.

James died on 13th November 1920 and was buried in the churchyard of St. Thomas a Becket in Chapel-en-le-Frith. Just 6 months later, on 9th May 1921, Robert also died. They were 26 an 23 respectively and lie together in a grave commemorated with a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone.

Name: JAMES VANES
Rank: Lance Serjeant
Regiment/Service: 1/6th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
Age: 26
Date of Death: 13/11/1920
Service No: 240526

Name: ROBERT VANES
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: 1/6th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
Age: 23
Date of Death: 09/05/1921
Service No: 240646