Even after the Battle of Passchendaele (3rd Battle of Ypres) ended on 10 November 1917, the two sides continued to conduct operations in the area and to inflict and suffer casualties. Bellevue, to the west of the village of Passchendaele, had been the site of terrible casualties suffered by New Zealand forces during the Battle of Passchendaele. On the night of the 2/3 December 1917 the 2nd Battalion of the Manchester Regiment was ordered to move to Belle Vue (Bellevue) in support of the 96th and 97th Infantry Brigades. At 7pm on 3 December the Germans shelled Bellevue very heavily killing 2 and wounding 4 others, according to the war diary of the battalion. Probably, Private Herbert CONDRON was one of those killed then.
Private Herbert CONDRON (service no. 36779) was killed in action on 3 December 1917 in West Flanders, Belgium.
Herbert CONDRON born in 1892 in Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester. He was the 11th child of Hugh and Elizabeth Emma (née JACKSON) CONDRON. In the 1911 UK census, he is living at home in Chorlton with his parents, two brothers and five sisters, and his occupation is recorded as "boot finisher casual". His war record shows that he served in the 26th Manchester Regiment, 11th Manchester Regiment and 2nd Manchester Regiment.
Herbert’s father Hugh CONDRON was born in 1852 in Manchester, and
died in Manchester in 1934. His occupation is described in various censuses as "packer". He married Elizabeth Emma JACKSON in Manchester in 1872. The couple had thirteen children: Mary Jane (born 1873), Susannah (1874), Joseph (1876), John (1877), Hugh (1880), Elizabeth Emma (1882), Emily (1886), William (1886), Annie (1889), Bertha (1891), Herbert (1892), James (1894) and Lillie (1896).
Herbert CONDRON is memorialized on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium.
For other blog posts about CONDR*Ns in the First World War, click on "First World War" in the Labels list on the right of the blog web page. Comments and corrections welcome, either by leaving a comment below or by email to me: CONDRAN[AT]ONE-NAME.ORG .
