5 March 2017

Lance Corporal 4924 Bertram Arthur Armitage

1st Battalion Coldstream Guards

Detective Inspector Birmingham City Police ‘R’ Division

Survivor of WW1

The Picture World 9th September 1915

Police Service History

2nd April 1906 Bertram Arthur ARMITAGE joined Birmingham City Police he was issued with warrant number 8616 and was posted to the C Division his trade was recorded as Army and Police. His date of birth was recorded as 17th September 188514th July 1907 Bertram married his wife Phoebe Greenfield of 47 Tenby Street North Birmingham14th December 1909 their son also named Bertram Arthur was born and who died 1983June 1st 1914 Bertram was posted to the R Division to do duty in the summonsing department4th August 1914 Called up to rejoin his regiment Coldstream Guards27th November 1915 Bertram rejoined Birmingham City Police from HM Forces30th November 1915 Bertram was posted to the CID within R DivisionDecember 1923 Bertram was promoted to Detective Sergeant7th January Bertram was awarded a book prize1st July1930 Bertram was promoted to Detective Inspector 31st July 1933 Bertram resigned on superannuation22nd October 1967 Bertram sadly died

Sickness and medical history records

During Bertram’s police Service his sickness and medical history records show he suffered from colds, and injury top the face whilst on duty, diarrhoea, Teeth problems, a kicked leg whilst on duty, and a sprained ankle whilst on duty, appendicitis, catarrh and bouts of influenza

Bertram’s rewards and punishments

12 December 1906 he was awarded a guinea for the arrest of a gas meter thief24 November 1909 he was awarded a guinea for stopping a runaway horse

Newspaper cutting The Picture World 9th September 1915

'A hero of Mons' Lance Corporal B A Armitage No 1 Co 1st bttn Coldstream Guards has just returned to the front after spending his first

weeks leave since the outbreak of war. Armitage, in company with several other members of the City Police Force were among the first batch of

reservists to be called up and like Corp Albert Coakley of 'A' Division went to France with the Expedition Force. In the retreat from Mons, Armitage had the misfortune to severely sprain his ankle and has since acted as a

clerk with the Headquarters Staff at Havre.

War Service History

British Army WW1 Medal Rolls Index cards 1914-1920

Bertram served four and a half years with the Coldstream Guards as a Lance Corporal 4924

27.11.1902 He enlisted in Birmingham aged 18 years 3 months

17.08.1903 Lance Corporal 28.10.1903 received pay of appointment

27.11.1904 awarded first good conduct badge

27.11.1905 Transferred on expiration of period army service.

19.11.1915 Posted Lance Corporal

26.11.1915 Discharged termination of 1st period of engagement.

Attestation form for Bertram Arthur Armitage aged 18 years and 3 months.

Description on Bertram Arthur ARMITAGE on enlisting aged 18 years 3 months, 5 feet 8 and a half inches tall, weighing 176 lbs, a 33 and a half inch chest and 36 inches on

expansion, with a fresh complexion blue eyes and fair hair. Confirmed Church of England denomination.

Antecedents of Bertram ARMITAGE

Bertram Arthur Armitage was born 17th September 1885 and died 22nd October 1967

Bertram Arthur Armitage married Pheobe Emily E Greenfield 1884-1946 on 14th July 1907

1911 census shows him residing at 74 Unnett Steet Hockley Birmingham as a Police Constable 25 years of age, born Birmingham married to wife of three years Phoebe (26) born 1884 St Georges Shropshire, and a son also named Bertram Arthur Armitage aged one year old and born Birmingham. (Bertram Arthur was born 14th December 1909 and died 1983)

1922 and 1925 and 1927 and 1930 census shows both Bertram Arthur and Phoebe Armitage residing at 55 Nineveh Road, Soho.

(The census of 1935 shows Bertram Arthur Armitage who may be identical to his son and his new wife Ivy Armitage May born 1910. They married in 1933) Census of 1945 and 1945 and 1950 and 1955 shows both Bertram and Ivy residing 165 Perrywood Road.)

14th July 1907 - Marriage of Bertram Arthur ARMITAGE aged 21 a Police Constable of 47 Tenby St, North, father Abraham Armitage a foreman to Pheobe Greenfield, aged 23 from 47 Tenby Street, whose father, George Greenfield was a moulder.