First detachment of Shipbreakers from Forth Shipbreaking Company who enlisted in 1914.
Many of the men joined the Black Watch, 9th Battalion, including Anthony Wear
Today, 25th September, we remember Lance Corporal Anthony Wear, a volunteer soldier who sacrificed his life on the opening day of the Battle of Loos, 111 years ago. Born into a working-class family in Workington, Cumberland, his life story encapsulates the great pre-war industrial migrations across the UK and the tragic, concentrated devastation that the First World War inflicted upon tight-knit industrial communities.
Early Life and Industrial Roots
Anthony Wear was born in Workington, Cumberland, in January 1894. Raised in a large, bustling household at 27 Senhouse Street1, he was the eleventh of twelve children born to Martha Clark & Anthony Wear Sr, a steelworks laborer. As our 1st cousin 3x removed, Anthony’s grandparents were our 3rd great grandparents, Joseph CLARK & Jane DREWERY of Workington.
The London Opinion published poster: “Britons: Lord Kitchener Wants You. Join Your Country’s Army! God save the King.” Reproduction by IWM2
By 1911, economic shifts prompted a family division and relocation; while part of the family moved to West Yorkshire, Anthony and several brothers migrated north east to the coastal town of Bo’ness3 (Borrowstounness), West Lothian, Scotland. Settling into the industrial hub, Anthony found employment as a shipbreaker, manual labor that demanded intense physical stamina and fostered deep camaraderie among the local workforce.
Enlistment and the “Shipbreakers” Volunteers
Following the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, Lord Kitchener issued a call for civilian volunteers to form new service battalions. Anthony and a close-knit group of his fellow Bo’ness shipbreakers stepped forward together, as seen in the photograph above. They enlisted at Glencorse, Midlothian.4
They were assigned to “C” Company of the 9th (Service) Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders),5 with Anthony receiving the service number S/4209. A surviving photograph6 taken during their training at Aldershot in November 1914 captures Anthony sitting proudly alongside his workplace friends—including William Snedden, Robert Clark, and Robert McClure. Anthony’s leadership qualities quickly earned him a promotion to Lance Corporal. After months of training, the battalion deployed to France in July 1915 as part of the 15th (Scottish) Division.7
Top Row (left to right) —Wm. Snedden, Allan Black, Robert Clark, Matthew Wright. Bottom Row- Robt. McClure, Anthony Wear, Jas. Smith, Duncan Munro, Jas. Cruickshanks. 9th Bn Black Watch
The group of employees of the Forth Ship-Breaking Company, reproduced above, enlisted in the 9th Black Watch at the outbreak of the war, and, with the exception of Matthew Wright (who is ill in a London hospital) and James Cruickshanks (who was transferred to a cycle corps) they took part in the great advance of 25th September. Of the seven who went into action, three have escaped, viz: Allan Black, James Smith, and Duncan Munro. The casualties are: William Snedden anıd Robert Clark, killed; Robert McClure, wounded; and Anthony Wear, missing (unofficial). AI Enhanced Photograph originally sourced from the Bo’ness Journal and Linlithgow Advertiser, Friday, 22 October 19158
The Battle of Loos: The Fateful Charge
On 25th September 1915, the 9th Black Watch faced its first major combat operation: the Battle of Loos.9 At 06:30 AM, following a problematic and poorly wind-drifted British chemical gas release, the whistle blew, and “C” Company went over the top into No Man’s Land near Loos-en-Gohelle. This first use of chlorine gas10 caused more casualties for the British troops than the Germans.
The kilted soldiers—nicknamed Die Damen aus der Hölle (Ladies from Hell)11 by German defenders—charged directly into a lethal hail of machine-gun fire and uncut barbed wire. The assault took an extraordinary toll on the Bo’ness volunteers. 21-year-old Lance Corporal Anthony Wear was killed in action during the opening hours of the advance.
The tragedy was highly concentrated; of the shipbreakers captured in the Aldershot training photograph, William Snedden was killed, Robert Clark was mortally wounded, and multiple men with consecutive service numbers fell side-by-side with Anthony on that single morning. Over 8,500 British soldiers perished on that first day alone.
Remembrance and Legacy
Anthony Wear has no known grave; his remains were lost to the churned battlefields of France. Back home, his mother Martha was recognized as his sole legatee, receiving his remaining army pay, post-war gratuity,12 British War Medal, and Victory Medal.13
Today, he is permanently commemorated on Panel 78 to 83 of the Loos Memorial14 at Dud Corner Cemetery, France. In Scotland, his name is preserved on the official Black Watch Roll of Honour in Perth, as well as the Bo’ness War Memorial, where his surname stands permanently—though incorrectly spelled as “Anthony Weir”—to honor the shipbreaker who gave everything for his country.
Family Tree
Our Wear relatives all descend from Anthony Wear Sr & Martha Clark, the third of nine children of our 3rd Great Grandparents Jane DREWERY (1828-1881) & Joseph CLARK (1820-?), farm labourer and husbandman, who lived and worked in Workington, Cumberland.
Joseph CLARK (1820-?) & Jane DREWERY (1828-1881)
John Clark (1850-1913) & Mary Ann Ledger (1844-1892)
Martha Clark (1853-1933) & Anthony Wear Sr (1852-1937)
Joseph Wear (1873-1916)
John William Wear (1875-1940)
Albert Wear (1877-1960)
Ada Jane Wear (1880-1959)
Mary Holiday Wear (1882-1910)
Martha Wear (1884-1893)
George Wear (1886-1966)
Elizabeth Ann Wear (1888-1962)
Annie Wear (1890-?)
Walter Wear (1892-?)
Anthony Wear (1894-1915)
Daniel Clark Wear (1896-1978)
Joseph Clark (1856-1918)
Mary Jane Clark (1858-1934)
Daniel Clark (1860-1931)
George Clark (1863-1940)
Walter Clark (1866-?)
Elizabeth Ann Clark (1869-1896)
Footnotes
Birth and Family Demographics: 1901 England Census (Class: RG13; Piece: 4894; Folio: 53; Page: 11). Records Anthony Wear, aged 7, residing at 27 Senhouse Street, Workington with parents Anthony and Martha. ↩︎
The London Opinion published poster: “Britons: Lord Kitchener Wants You. Join Your Country’s Army! God save the King.” Modern reproduction from IWM, Wikimedia↩︎
The Bo’ness Migration and Employment: Falkirk Local History Society, Without Fear: The Men on the Bo’ness War Memorial, Section 76: “Anthony Wear”. Documents the family’s relocation to 6 Thornton Road, Thornhill Lees, and Anthony’s occupation as a local shipbreaker. ↩︎
Military Service Details: UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 ( there listing Lance Corporal Anthony Wear, S/4209, 9th Battalion Black Watch, Enlistment: Glencorse). ↩︎
The Aldershot Shipbreakers Photograph:Ibid, p. 90. Features the November 1914 group photograph of the 9th Battalion Black Watch volunteers from Bo’ness, detailing the casualties suffered by this specific workforce cohort on September 25, 1915. ↩︎
Bo’ness Journal and Linlithgow Advertiser, Friday, 22 October 1915. Content provided by THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. FindmyPast.co.uk↩︎
‘Ladies From Hell’: Bagpipers Led The Charge During WWI: Over the top and amid the carnage and confusion of No Man’s Land stepped Highland regimental bagpipers. By Claire Barrett, 10/6/2020, HistoryNet↩︎
Financial Settlement: UK, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 (Record Number 243911). Lists final balance paid to mother and sole legatee, Martha Wear, on 10 February 1916. ↩︎
Medal Index Records: War Office: Army Medal Office, WWI Medal Index Cards (Ref: WO 372/21/39103). Confirms entitlement to the British War Medal and Victory Medal. ↩︎
Casualty and Commemoration: Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Casualty Record for Lance Corporal Anthony Wear (Service No: S/4209), Loos Memorial. ↩︎
References
Forth Shipbreaking Company. “Shipbreakers for the Front First Detachment”, 1914-1915. Group of shipbreaking workers. A group of twelve workers in suits and bunnets pose for the camera. Behind them is a wooden shed. Two flags, one the red ensign, have been unfurled. To the right is a water butt and tap. Bridgeness?/Bo’ness area The men have volunteered to join the army. The flags probably come from ships which have been broken up at the yard. There was a wave of volunteers on the outbreak of war in August 1914 that continued into 1915. ‘Friends’ battalions often made it possible for workmates to serve in the same unit. Feel Falkirk
Your King and Country Need You – A Call to Arms, Posters, IWM
Lance Corporal Anthony Wear, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), A Street Near You
S/4209 Lance Corporal ANTHONY WEAR “C” Coy. 9th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), 10,292 died on this day: Sat 25/09/1915 (part 2). The worst day of the war so far. So much so that the blogging tools cannot cope with the numbers. So this is the second part of the post. First World War – On this day
Wear, Anthony, Carriden, Bo’Ness & Carriden Parish, Roll of Honour, Bo’ness Journal and Linlithgow Advertiser, Friday, 3 December 1915, Content provided by THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. FindmyPast.co.uk
Anthony Wear, Black Watch, Shipbreakers Rifle Club, Bo’ness Journal and Linlithgow Advertiser, Friday, 13 October 1916. Content provided by THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. FindmyPast.co.uk
Medal card of Wear, Anthony Corps: Royal Highlanders Regiment No: S/4209, WO 372/21/50976, The National Archives
9th Battalion Black Watch suffered 680 casualties, including 20 officers, on the first day of the Battle of Loos. Only 98 men returned to their billets to answer roll call when the battalion was relieved. Despite completing their training, the fresh recruits were not ready for the realties of trench warfare. 240 died on this one day:
“A” Coy. 9th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
Lieutenant JOHN CRIGHTON “A” Coy. 9th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
S/4502 Private JOSEPH EDMONDSON “A” Coy. 9th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
S/4742 Lance Corporal ROBERT GIBSON “A” Coy. 9th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
Captain DONALD HATT NOBLE GRAHAM “A” Coy. 9th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
S/4098 Private JOHN ALEXANDER LEDINGHAM “A” Coy. 9th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
S/5217 Private DONALD FERGUSON WEIR “A” Coy. 9th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
“B” Coy. 9th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
S/4767 Private JOHN McHUTCHISON “B” Coy. 9th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
S/4549 Private JAMES IRVING “B” Coy. 9th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
S/4790 Corporal JAMES ANDERSON NORWOOD “B” Coy. 9th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
“C” Coy. 9th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
S/5339 Private THOMAS ARMSTRONG “C” Coy. 9th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)