WW1 Vincent
Vincent - age 21 - got a commission in the RE - Royal Engineers (67th Field Company, RE)
1915 July - He was sent out to Gallipoli and Suvla Bay and was there until the troops were withdrawn in 1916.
We know that Vincent was wounded slightly at Gallipoli because of a letter to him from his father
“I can’t help feeling that if only we had sufficient howitzers and ammunition that things would have gone better. I hope that the wound in your face will get on alright. I should have thought that you ought to have reported it and had it seen to for fear of its going wrong, but I suppose that you and the Captain being the only ones left prevented you …”
There is a framed newspaper article which belonged to Vincent which he always hung - wherever he lived
It was a Peninsular press article (10th Jan 1916)
Evacuation of Helles 9th Jan 1916 - the final finish of the Gallipoli campaign
Preceded by evacuation of the Suvla Anzac area -With No loss of life
Vincent’s return to help at Ferranti Ltd.
1915 Sept Dr Ferranti began to feel the need for Vincent’s help at Hollinwood
Dr Ferranti wrote to Vincent
“As you know we have a great deal of war work in hand and besides this, it looks as though the Inventions Board was badly in want of work in many directions”
Dr Ferranti wrote to the War Office
“As I am extremely pressed with the above work and am desirous of taking up further work with the Munitions Inventions Panel I am desirous of obtaining the recall of one of my sons from the front. The son in question Vincent, has been trained as an Engineer and Scientist and has all the qualifications necessary to enable him to help me”
Vincent’s commanding officer got a telegram saying
“Have applied for return of Lt Ferranti to help me with large munitions contracts. If you agree please cable your consent and his to Ferranti London”
March 1916 - Vincent was returned home (from Alexandria) - and was furious about it.
After 6 months helping his father he returned to the front - this time in The Balkan war at Salonika with 500th Wessex field Company Royal Engineers. . He was at The Struma and Vardar valleys until the end of war
Dr Ferranti wrote to him after his departure
“There is no-one in your chair at the other side of the fire - where you used to sit after you had done with shells for the day. I am alone here tonight. Your black elephant is looking at me and there are pictures of Hoppy and you on your horses at Newark, - the No1 section of the 67th Coy RE, - with you in the middle and two pictures of Basil….”
March 1917 Dr Ferranti wrote to Vincent
“I notice from the papers that the British have been doing some fighting on the Salonika front but do not of course know if this has been near you
As I have said, things have been moving slowly at the works, it is so difficult to get anything completed. Our output in the various sections goes up and down according to our supply of material and our luck in various ways. …
Transformers and Switch business is quite good but Meters are much down as export of anything with copper in it is practically forbidden. Tons of copper are being needlessly thrown away and yet meters which require so little in relation to their value are being killed for want of it...
Generally speaking things have greatly improved since you were here but they could be much better
There are now 1,100 girls at the Works”
1917 July Basil was wounded and then died
Dr Ferranti wrote to tell Vincent straight away but the letter never reached him He did not hear till October – almost 3 months later.
Dr Ferranti wrote to Vincent
“You speak of avenging Basil’s death. Certainly continue to do all you can, but I am satisfied that basil was level with the enemy long before he was wounded. From all I have heard his battery was extraordinarily efficient, and must have done the Hun terrible damage. So there is nothing to regret in that direction
From the business point of view, Basil’s loss is very serious as there is so much to do. You, my dear Vincent, will have all the more to do to help me, and a hard time when you get back, but I am sure you will succeed alright. Thank-you so much for your promises to help me, I shall work on and do my best until the time arrives
You will not be surprised to hear that I have felt Basil’s loss dreadfully. Whatever I do, I come back to thinking of him and if I didn’t, I should feel untrue to him. I think the last 3 months have been the saddest of my life. I have always felt before that I could make good misfortune, but in this case I can do nothing.
Later Dr Ferranti wrote to Vincent
“When you speak of Basil you always talk as tho’ you were no good, which is ridiculous. I always thought I had 2 very different but very fine sons. Now there is only 1 and therefore, all the more work and responsibility must fall upon him. Your success is only a question of making up your mind. I have no doubt of it, if only you get the chance. How I hope and long that you may”.
1818 3rd June Vincent got an MC
1918 November Vincent returned to England
Vincent - age 21 - got a commission in the RE - Royal Engineers (67th Field Company, RE)
1915 July - He was sent out to Gallipoli and Suvla Bay and was there until the troops were withdrawn in 1916.
We know that Vincent was wounded slightly at Gallipoli because of a letter to him from his father
“I can’t help feeling that if only we had sufficient howitzers and ammunition that things would have gone better. I hope that the wound in your face will get on alright. I should have thought that you ought to have reported it and had it seen to for fear of its going wrong, but I suppose that you and the Captain being the only ones left prevented you …”
There is a framed newspaper article which belonged to Vincent which he always hung - wherever he lived
It was a Peninsular press article (10th Jan 1916)
Evacuation of Helles 9th Jan 1916 - the final finish of the Gallipoli campaign
Preceded by evacuation of the Suvla Anzac area -With No loss of life
Vincent’s return to help at Ferranti Ltd.
1915 Sept Dr Ferranti began to feel the need for Vincent’s help at Hollinwood
Dr Ferranti wrote to Vincent
“As you know we have a great deal of war work in hand and besides this, it looks as though the Inventions Board was badly in want of work in many directions”
Dr Ferranti wrote to the War Office
“As I am extremely pressed with the above work and am desirous of taking up further work with the Munitions Inventions Panel I am desirous of obtaining the recall of one of my sons from the front. The son in question Vincent, has been trained as an Engineer and Scientist and has all the qualifications necessary to enable him to help me”
Vincent’s commanding officer got a telegram saying
“Have applied for return of Lt Ferranti to help me with large munitions contracts. If you agree please cable your consent and his to Ferranti London”
March 1916 - Vincent was returned home (from Alexandria) - and was furious about it.
After 6 months helping his father he returned to the front - this time in The Balkan war at Salonika with 500th Wessex field Company Royal Engineers. . He was at The Struma and Vardar valleys until the end of war
Dr Ferranti wrote to him after his departure
“There is no-one in your chair at the other side of the fire - where you used to sit after you had done with shells for the day. I am alone here tonight. Your black elephant is looking at me and there are pictures of Hoppy and you on your horses at Newark, - the No1 section of the 67th Coy RE, - with you in the middle and two pictures of Basil….”
March 1917 Dr Ferranti wrote to Vincent
“I notice from the papers that the British have been doing some fighting on the Salonika front but do not of course know if this has been near you
As I have said, things have been moving slowly at the works, it is so difficult to get anything completed. Our output in the various sections goes up and down according to our supply of material and our luck in various ways. …
Transformers and Switch business is quite good but Meters are much down as export of anything with copper in it is practically forbidden. Tons of copper are being needlessly thrown away and yet meters which require so little in relation to their value are being killed for want of it...
Generally speaking things have greatly improved since you were here but they could be much better
There are now 1,100 girls at the Works”
1917 July Basil was wounded and then died
Dr Ferranti wrote to tell Vincent straight away but the letter never reached him He did not hear till October – almost 3 months later.
Dr Ferranti wrote to Vincent
“You speak of avenging Basil’s death. Certainly continue to do all you can, but I am satisfied that basil was level with the enemy long before he was wounded. From all I have heard his battery was extraordinarily efficient, and must have done the Hun terrible damage. So there is nothing to regret in that direction
From the business point of view, Basil’s loss is very serious as there is so much to do. You, my dear Vincent, will have all the more to do to help me, and a hard time when you get back, but I am sure you will succeed alright. Thank-you so much for your promises to help me, I shall work on and do my best until the time arrives
You will not be surprised to hear that I have felt Basil’s loss dreadfully. Whatever I do, I come back to thinking of him and if I didn’t, I should feel untrue to him. I think the last 3 months have been the saddest of my life. I have always felt before that I could make good misfortune, but in this case I can do nothing.
Later Dr Ferranti wrote to Vincent
“When you speak of Basil you always talk as tho’ you were no good, which is ridiculous. I always thought I had 2 very different but very fine sons. Now there is only 1 and therefore, all the more work and responsibility must fall upon him. Your success is only a question of making up your mind. I have no doubt of it, if only you get the chance. How I hope and long that you may”.
1818 3rd June Vincent got an MC
1918 November Vincent returned to England