Robert Gowland Potts, Corporal 15/731 15th Battalion, later Lieutenant Yorkshire and Lancashire Regiment

Robert Potts

Robert Gowland Potts was born in Woodhouse, Leeds on 3rd October 1886 and baptised on Boxing Day that year.  His parents were Thomas Robert Potts (known as Robert) (1842-1917), a Coach Maker, and Jane Clarke (1843-1917) of 11 Ash Grove, Headingley, Leeds.  He had three sisters, Elizabeth (1868-1950), Mary (1877-1955) and Roberta (1883-1924), and four brothers, William St John (1870-1957), Ernest James (1872-1876), Thomas Edmund (1875-1947) and Charles Harold (1889-1958).  By 1911 his parents had been married for 43 years and had lost two children in infancy.  Robert attended Leeds Grammar School 1897 to 1903 and was employed as a Pharmacist in Meanwood, Leeds when war broke out.  He was described as being 5’ 8” tall, with a sallow complexion, pale-green eyes and black hair. 

He enlisted in the 1st City Battalion on 12th September 1914 as 15/731 Private R G Potts and trained with the 15th Battalion in Colsterdale, Ripon and Fovant before deploying to Egypt to defend the Suez Canal in December 1915.  In March 1916 he moved to France to prepare for the Battle of the Somme.  Robert is listed as a stretcher bearer in the 1915 Roll although I’m not sure he was still employed as a stretcher bearer in France.  He appears to have survived the devastating attack by the 15th Battalion on the village of Serre on 1st July 1916, without injury, although he could have been part of the 10% of the unit held in reserve.  He was promoted ‘unpaid’ Lance Corporal on 30th July 1916, acting Corporal 3rd October 1916 and substantive Corporal on 5th March 1917.  The previous day he had returned to England on HS Brighton from No.1 Canadian General Hospital at Étaples where he was being treated for a sprained ankle.  He had previously suffered heart strain in early August 1916 and had remained in various military hospitals for two weeks before returning to the Battalion.  On a visit to the Serre battlefield in 2014 I visited Bus-les-Artois (named ‘Bus’ by the soldiers), the village where the Leeds Pals had been billeted before they moved to the frontline trenches on 1st July, and came across an inscription on the side wall of the church.  Inscribed were the names of ‘R G Potts and J J Ward 15 Bat West Yorks’.  Both soldiers were subsequently commissioned and both survived the war.

Graffitti at Bus. Photo courtesy of David J Owen

In late 1917 Robert was selected for officer training and reported to No.6 Officer Cadet Battalion at Oxford on 9th November that year.  On 26th March 1918 he was commissioned into the 3rd Battalion, Yorkshire and Lancashire Regiment as a 2nd Lieutenant and later joined the 18th Battalion.  His confidential report recorded that his standard of education was ‘fair’, military knowledge ‘good’, but he was ‘rather slow’.  Regarding his power of command and leadership he had a ‘good word of command’ and ‘very fair’ control.  He was also described as ‘energetic and efficient’ and ‘showing great interest in all his work’, was a ‘good trier’ and a ‘good example to all’.  Having survived the remainder of the war, he was released from the Army on 10th April 1919 and relinquished his commission in late 1921, although retained the rank of Lieutenant.

In 1919 he wrote to the War Office notifying them that he had moved from 57 Tonbridge Street, College Road to 9 Methley Drive, Chapeltown, Leeds.  His occupation when he left the Army was Clock Manufacturer, the family business.  The firm William Potts and Sons Clock Manufacturers had presented a Diamond Jubilee Memorial Clock to Her Majesty Queen Victoria which was erected at the Holy Trinity Church, Windsor in 1897.  The Company were appointed to Her Majesty Queen Victoria.  He married Elsie Lake (1890-1979) in mid-1918 in Sunderland, Durham.  She came from Sheffield and was the daughter of Frederick James Lake and Martha Ellen Glossop.

In 1939 Robert was living at 127 Stonegate Road, Leeds.  He was listed as a Pharmacist and his wife Elsie as a Pharmacist Assistant.  Also against Elsie’s name is PWC 398/2279 although I am not sure what this is – possible Police Woman Constable?  Robert died in Leeds 20 years later on 15th February 1959 aged 74.

His older brother Thomas Edward enlisted in the 1st Newcastle Artillery Volunteers, the Royal Warwickshire Regiment (7504) in 1900 and transferred to the RAMC (17697) in 1902. He was discharged in 1912 and it appears he was not recalled for service in the First World War.

Charles Potts

His younger brother Charles served with the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA), enlisting in 1915 and being called up in 1916.  He was posted to France in 1917 and transferred to the Royal Engineers (RE) shortly before his discharge in late 1919.  After the war he returned to William Potts and Sons of Leeds, the family clock making business.  He left the firm in early 1930 to set up Turret Clock Company where he remained until selling the business some twenty years later.

William Potts

A cousin, William Edgar Potts (see separate post), who had emigrated to Canada in April 1913 and by August 1914 was farming in Alberta, and serving with the Alberta Hussars returned to England and enlisted in early 1915 as a Private in the 8th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment (Leeds Rifles).  He was awarded the Military Medal (MM) for Bravery as a Lance Sergeant while serving with the 2/8th Battalion and was promoted to Sergeant shortly after.  The award was gazetted on 11th May 1917.  The Citation, which was recorded in the Battalion war diary, states: ‘On the morning of February 19th 1917, in front of Beaucourt Trench, this NCO was in charge of an advance post which was attacked by the enemy, which, however, he successfully defended with loss to the raiders.  Throughout the whole incident he showed great coolness, judgement and initiative and so saved the situation.’  In January 1918 he returned to England to be married and in April began Officer training.  He was granted a commission in the 5th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment (TA) although when he went to France in April was attached to the 15/17th Battalion.  On 13th April 1918 2nd Lieutenant Potts led his Platoon into action against a heavy German attack and at a critical moment, whilst operating the Lewis gun, was killed by an enemy shell.  Having no known grave he is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium.

Sources:

The National Archives – Officer Service Record

Ancestry – Birth, Marriage, Census, 1939 and Death Records. Medal Records. Brothers Service Records

The (London) Gazette – Appointments and award of the MM to his cousin

War Diary (2/8th Bn) – MM Citation

Commonwealth War Grave Commission – Memorial Register

Researcher: David J Owen

Please Note:

  • All opinions and inferences are the researcher’s own.
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