Trench Lincs 12th April 2026
- Apr 15
- 25 min read
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Good Morning,
Well, what a week that was. I made a whistle stop flying visit to Portugal to watch Nottingham Forest play Porto in the Europa League Quarter-Finals. Leaving Heathrow at 7am on the 9th, I was back at Heathrow at 7pm on the 10th - 36 hours of travel, football and beer – basically!
For non-football fans, you might not understand the desire to see your team play and win (or lose as the case may be) but as the old Liverpool manager, Bill Shankly, famously once said; “Some people believe football is a matter of life and death... I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.” [But not as important as remembering the 1914-18 generation – Ed!]
Very happy memories made with son Will, and son in law, Dan (L). Also a creditable 1- 1 draw in the away leg with a most bizarre own goal by a Porto defender, who somehow managed to back pass into his own net from about 40 yards! - If you've not seen it, it's worth finding on the internet.
Anyway, I am back home now to get this edition of TL to you all today. We have my take on the Battle of Arras that commenced on April 9th 1917, and interesting snippets from Bill Roffey, Melvin Dobbs, Richard Hughes, Matt Colley, Andrew Sayers, Bill Pinfold and Nick Firby to hopefully keep you entertained, plus news of the monthly outings for May and June.
Oh! And by the way, Great-Nana Sheila (86) defeated Great-Granddaughter Eva (5) in the final of the Easter Pace Egg competition last Sunday. Four generations of family all having fun together.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS.
Next event - Lincoln & North Lincolnshire Branch, WFA - Monday, April 27th 2026 - Doors open 7.00pm for 7.30pm start - Royal Naval Association Club, Coulson Road, Lincoln, LN6 7BG.
Brian Riley presents: "The Shimmering Blue; Lincolnshire Aviation in World War One."
‘During the First World War, Lincolnshire made three major contributions to the British air war effort: home defence, aircraft manufacturing and the training of British and Allied airmen.
This talk assesses the reasons for aviation coming to Lincolnshire, explores the effects on the county of the world's first strategic air offensive, and examines the measures taken to defend the nation from air attacks. It describes how a primarily agricultural county became one of world’s largest aircraft production centres and nurtured fledgling Allied airmen on their bumpy paths to operational competence.
Over a century later, we appreciate that Lincolnshire’s men and women provided vital support to early ‘multinational coalition operations. Theirs is a story worth telling to ensure that their pathfinding efforts are not forgotten.’
Brian Riley combines a lifelong passion for military history with a love of archaeology, foreign languages and travel. He graduated with a degree in Modern Languages from the University of Salford in 1978 and worked for several years in the Civil Service and local government before deciding to make his hobby pay. He was commissioned into the RAF Education Branch at the tender age of 35 but his inquisitive nature soon led him to transfer to the RAF Intelligence Branch. Retiring from the RAF in 2012, Brian has continued to pursue his passion for aviation and military history. He led school parties on history tours of Berlin and curated the RAF Heritage Collection at William Farr School, Welton, before working for Lincolnshire County Council on a major aviation heritage project during 2017-2020. This project - Lincolnshire, Bastion in the Air 1915-18 - was financed by the Heritage Lottery Fund and highlighted the county’s important but often overlooked First World War aviation accomplishments. In October 2024, Brian was appointed by South Kesteven District Council as the official Heritage Advisor for its ‘Soldiers from the Sky’ project, financed by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It lasted until the end of 2025 and highlighted the activities of the British, American and Polish Airborne Forces who lived and trained in the area during 1944-45 while preparing for operations in Normandy (D-Day), the Netherlands (Operation MARKET GARDEN), Norway (Operation DOOMSDAY) and Denmark (Operation ECLIPSE).
Brian is continuing his support activities with the Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire Partnership, which is a consortium of aviation heritage sites dedicated to promoting the county’s rich aviation heritage, and commemorating the service and sacrifice of all those involved.
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Next Meeting - Spalding & South Lincolnshire Branch, WFA – Thursday 23rd April, 2026 - Doors open 7.00pm for 7.30 pm start - Spalding Baptist Church, Swan Street, Spalding, PE11 1BT.
April 23rd - Chris Finn presents "Aviation in the Dardanelles and Gallipoli Campaigns".
In this evening's talk, Chris will examine how the British, French and Turkish forces' developed their application of airpower in a complex campaign, fought in a hostile environment, and with meagre resources when compared to the Western Front. He will be discussing not only the technology and tactics, but also the environment, enemy and command personalities and cultures in a talk which first saw the light of day when Chris presented a brief introduction to air power at Gallipoli as a "stand" during the highly successful Lincoln Branch battlefield tour of Gallipoli in 2022 led by our good friend Dudley Giles.
The aircraft available were very early machines such as the Wight Pusher, Short 135 and Sopwith 807 floatplanes along with BE2c, Maurice Farman and Breguet B2 landplanes which were flown with great skill by characters such as Commander Charles Rumney Samson RN, Commodore Roger Keys RN and Wing Captain Frederick Sykes RNAS who did a remarkable job of undertaking photographic reconnaissance flights over Gallipoli. The Turks were flying even more primitive types; witness Flt Lt Cemal Bey flying a Bleriot XI-2 during the campaign!
Christopher Finn joined the RAF in 1972 as a navigator. He flew predominantly the Buccaneer and was an electronic warfare, weapons and tactics specialist. During Operation GRANBY he was, as a newly promoted Wing Cdr, the UK’s “SO1 Bucc” in the Coalition Air HQ in Riyadh. His final flying tour was as the Officer Commanding the Navigator and Airman Aircrew School. A graduate of the Joint Services’ Defence College he gained an MPhil in International Relations at Cambridge University in 1999 and went on to be the Director of Defence Studies (RAF). From his retirement in 2005 to 2015 he was a Senior Lecturer in Air Power Studies at the RAF College Cranwell. Chris is an Accredited Battlefield Guide, specialising in airpower and combined operations. He lectures extensively on RAF and airpower history, but can turn his hand to most military history subjects, and is also a volunteer guide at the BBMF and both a guide and lecturer for the CWGC.
Finally, the Branch would like to advise attendees that, by permission of the Church Elders, we have relocated our presentations from the ante-room we have used to date, to the main hall (known as "The Sanctuary") within the church. This well decorated and attractive hall has comfortable padded seats, and speakers' presentations are clearly displayed on a very large, bright LCD screen mounted on the end wall. This system has been used for church services and other events for a while now, and works very well. The Branch first tried it at our March meeting and both the audience, and speaker, were greatly appreciative of it. So, if you are attending, and we hope you will, please don't go to the ante-room, or you might find yourself recruited into the church choir!
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The East Midlands (Nottingham) WFA branch will hold their next speaker event on Friday 8th May 2026 at 7.30pm. The branch meets at St. Peter’s Church Hall, Church Street, Ruddington, NG11 6HA.
The speaker on this night will be Mike Coyle who will present – “Comparing the Somme 1916 with Arras 1917.”
Everyone welcome.
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The Leadenham Military History Group’s next meeting will be on Tuesday 28th April at 7.30pm at Leadenham village hall.
CHANGE OF PROGRAMME.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, James Handley will now present his talk on the Battle of Marston Moor in October.
On April 28th, there will be a two-part event.
Biography: Sir Walter Cowan, Bt., by Tim Sisson. A brief history of one of the oldest men to see active service in the 20th Century.
Presentation: Dowding: a debt unpaid, by Tim Willbond. The poor post-war treatment of one of the country’s finest leaders, and how his legacy is continued today.
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The Friends of the Lincoln Tank Group continue their 2026 season in April. The venue, as usual, will be the Royal Naval Club, Coulson Road, Lincoln, LN6 7BG with a 7.30pm start. Entry is £5, and everyone is welcome.
Thursday April 30th - Jo Costin will talk about “The Cambridge Kitcheners”
The next FoLT talk will be held on Thursday the 30th April when we will welcome Jo Costin to speak on “Cambridgeshire Kitcheners”. In her own words:
“In the opening months of the First World War, 1,500 men from Cambridgeshire (town and county) joined up together to form the Cambridgeshire Kitcheners or 11th Suffolks. They came from a variety of occupations, though unlike many other Pals battalions, the majority were agricultural workers. Following training in England, they went overseas in January 1916, and saw action in some of the bloodiest battles of the war. This included the Somme, when 188 were killed on 1 July alone. However, this was not the end of their story. They saw significant action in 1917, during the battle of Arras, and in 1918 were caught up in the chaotic retreats during the German Spring Offensives, and the later Allied counterattacks. The list of battles, however, is only a fraction of their story. A mixture of official sources, newspaper accounts, personal documents, and family history sources like census records combine to give a fuller picture of what the men in the battalion experienced”.
We shall, as usual, meet at the Royal Naval Club on Coulson Road, Lincoln. Doors will open at 7.00pm for a 7.30pm start. Entrance is £5 payable on the door on the night. There is ample car parking at the club, and refreshments can be obtained at the bar. Everyone is welcome to attend and there is no need for you to be a paid up member of FoLT. Just come down on the night to receive a warm welcome. I hope you are able to support us.
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Another group who meet at the Royal Naval Club, Coulson Road, Lincoln, LN6 7BG, is the Lincolnshire Aviation Society. The next meeting of LAS will be held on Thursday 16th April 2026 with a start time of 7.30pm.
The speaker on this occasion is John Steel, who will speak about ‘Bristol Fighters – Built by Marshalls of Gainsborough.’
Guests always welcome - £3.00 entry for none LAS Members.
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The Peterborough Military History Group meets at the Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery in Priestgate, Peterborough, PE1 1LF, on the second Wednesday of every month, 7.30pm to 9.30pm.
Everyone welcome, especially new faces.
May 13th Stuart Orme
'Two Men, One King, and a Town Through Civil War.'
Explore the story of two families, a grand mansion, and a town during the most tumultuous period in British history and learn how Huntingdon was a microcosm of the experience of the country through the Civil Wars.
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I am pleased to let you have details of the next two Trench Lincs/Lincoln WFA outings for May and June.
On Friday 24th May there will be an outing to the Lincolnshire Civil War battlefield of Winceby, followed by a fully guided tour of Bollingbroke Castle.
The battle of Winceby, October 1643, is one of the lesser battles of the civil war, with no more than 6,000 troops engaged, but its significance far outweighs its scale. For Parliament’s Eastern Association army from East Anglia this was their first major campaign. It was also the first nationally important victory for Cromwell’s cavalry and the first action in which he fought side by side with Sir Thomas Fairfax, with whom in the New Model Army he would finally destroy the royalist cause in 1645-6.
In this battle, which lasted no more than half an hour, followed by many hours of pursuit, the parliamentarians destroyed a combined force of royalist cavalry and dragoons from Lincolnshire and Newark. The victory was so swift and complete that the Association infantry did not even have time to engage the enemy. The outcome was the fall of much of the county of Lincolnshire to parliament and a halting of the royalist ascendancy in the region.
We will meet at 10.30am at the small commemorative stone erected at Winceby in 1993 immediately in front of Winceby House Farm, adjacent to the B1195, and this part of the day will be guided by Peter Garland who will bring along maps and fact sheets etc.
Following the battlefield tour, we will travel to Bollingbroke Castle, which was a Royalist garrison during the Civil War, where Jonathan Capek will take over and give us a guided tour of the castle remains.
Refreshments and toilets will be available at the castle.
Please email me if you intend to attend, so that no one is left behind. New faces always welcome.
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For our June outing attendees will be travelling to Loughborough on Wednesday 24th June.
First stop will be the Carillon Museum, at 11am. Loughborough Carillon & War Memorial Museum
Park at the Granby Street car park, pay and display - postcode LE11 3DU around 10.45am and the museum opens at 11am.
When everyone has finished at the museum, we will be in the sound hands of Neil Strange, who will give the party a private tour of the CWGC graves within Loughborough cemetery.
Again, please let me know if you are attending. Everyone welcome.
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April 9th was the 109th anniversary of the opening day of the Battle of Arras. A battle which is overlooked in comparison to the Somme and Passchendaele, but which produced higher daily casualty rates for the BEF than both the Somme and 3rd Ypres (Passchendaele).
The Battle of Arras was one of the major British offensives on the Western Front during World War I. Fought between April and May 1917 near the French city of Arras, it formed part of a broader Allied strategy to break the stalemate of trench warfare. The battle is especially remembered for its dramatic opening day on April 9th, 1917, which saw some of the most significant territorial gains achieved by British forces since the war began.
The offensive was closely coordinated with the larger French effort known as the Nivelle Offensive. While French forces attacked along the Aisne River, British troops were tasked with drawing German reserves northward and exploiting any breakthrough opportunities. The British Army, under the command of Sir Douglas Haig, prepared meticulously for the assault, learning lessons from earlier costly battles such as the Battle of the Somme.
Preparation for the Battle of Arras was extensive and innovative. One of the most remarkable aspects was the construction of vast underground tunnels beneath the city. These tunnels, many of them expanded from medieval chalk quarries, allowed tens of thousands of soldiers to assemble in secrecy, protected from German artillery. By early April, around 24,000 troops could be housed underground, ready to emerge close to the front lines. This element of surprise would prove crucial on the opening day.
The British also refined their artillery tactics. Instead of prolonged bombardments that warned the enemy of an impending attack, they employed shorter, more intense barrages combined with precise targeting based on improved intelligence and aerial reconnaissance. The use of a “creeping barrage,” where artillery fire moved forward in stages just ahead of advancing infantry, helped protect soldiers as they crossed No Man’s Land. Coordination between infantry, artillery, and supporting units was far more sophisticated than in earlier offensives.
The opening day, April 9th 1917—Easter Monday—began in harsh conditions, with snow, sleet, and strong winds sweeping across the battlefield. Despite the weather, British and Dominion forces launched their assault at dawn. Among them, the Canadian Corps played a pivotal role in the attack on Vimy Ridge, a heavily fortified German position that had resisted previous Allied attempts.
The Canadian Corps’ assault on Vimy Ridge stands out as one of the most successful actions of the day. Carefully planned and rehearsed, the attack involved all four Canadian divisions advancing together for the first time. They used detailed maps, mock battlefields for training, and precise timing with the creeping barrage. By the end of the day, most of the ridge had been captured—a remarkable achievement given its strategic importance and the strength of German defences. The capture of Vimy Ridge provided the Allies with a commanding view over the surrounding plains and boosted morale significantly.
Elsewhere along the front, British forces also made notable gains. Infantry units advanced several miles in some sectors, capturing key villages and defensive lines. Compared to earlier battles, casualties on the first day, though still heavy, were proportionally lower relative to the scale of the advance.
Approximately 13,000 German prisoners were taken on April 9th alone, reflecting the effectiveness of the surprise and coordination achieved by the attackers.
However, despite the success of the opening day, the broader objectives of the Battle of Arras were not fully realised. In the days and weeks that followed, German forces regrouped and reinforced their lines, slowing the Allied advance. The British, forgetting the lessons that had brought success, reverted to a more familiar pattern of attrition, with costly attacks yielding limited additional gains. The initial momentum proved difficult to sustain against determined German defence and increasingly challenging conditions.
The opening day of the Battle of Arras remains significant for several reasons. It demonstrated that the British Army had evolved tactically, integrating artillery, infantry, engineering, and intelligence more effectively than before. The success at Vimy Ridge, in particular, became a defining moment in Canadian national history, symbolising unity and achievement.
In a broader sense, the battle illustrated both the possibilities and limitations of offensives on the Western Front. While careful planning and innovation could achieve breakthroughs on a local scale, turning those gains into a major breakout remained elusive. The experience of Arras would influence later operations, contributing to the development of more effective combined-arms tactics. This would be demonstrated at Cambrai in November 1917 and will be the subject of my new talk at FoLT in late October this year.
In conclusion, the Battle of Arras, and especially its opening day, stands as a moment in World War I, where combined meticulous preparation, tactical innovation, and determined action would achieve impressive early gains. Yet it also underscored the enduring challenges of trench warfare, where even the most promising beginnings often gave way to prolonged and costly attrition.
Ah!! I here you say, what about the tanks?
The use of tanks at the Battle of Arras was still relatively experimental, reflecting how new and evolving this technology was during World War I. Although tanks had first appeared in combat at the Battle of the Somme the previous September, Arras was one of the early attempts to integrate them more deliberately into offensive planning—though with mixed results.
By April 1917, the British Army deployed early models such as the Mark I and Mark II tanks. These machines were slow, mechanically unreliable, and vulnerable to artillery, but they offered a potentially powerful advantage: the ability to cross trenches, crush barbed wire, and provide mobile cover for advancing infantry.
At Arras, tanks were used in relatively small numbers compared to later battles. Around 60 tanks were allocated to support parts of the offensive, particularly in sectors where breaking through strong German defensive lines was considered most difficult. However, many never reached the front line in working condition due to breakdowns—one of the most persistent problems with early tank warfare. This was especially apparent at Bullecourt, where the attacking Australian infantry went ‘over the top’ without the promised tank support, due to their late arrival. This led to a mutual distrust of the Tank Corps by the Australians until the summer of 1918, when the more reliable MKIV and MKV’s were available.
In summary, tanks at the Battle of Arras were present but not decisive. The opening day’s success came primarily from improved artillery tactics and careful planning rather than armoured support. However, Arras represents an important day in the evolution of tank warfare—demonstrating both the potential and the serious limitations of early tanks.
Their performance at Arras helped shape how tanks would be used later in the war, eventually becoming a key element in breaking the stalemate of trench warfare.
An interesting photo captioned as a British MKIV tank ditched at Arras, but I don't believe any MKIV's took part in the battle?
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Talking of tanks leads me on to some excellent research by Bill Roffey, an old friend of mine whose mother used to make my tea on occasions when we were at junior school together, and I am pleased to say that Bill’s mum, Estelle, has just celebrated her 90th birthday.
Bill lives in the Stockport area and was alerted by Alwyn’s mention of the Mirrlees factory at Stockport a few weeks ago.
Bill writes for us; ‘I was particularly interested in an article in Trench Lincs from February 22nd. It has taken me rather a long time to get around to following it up. It relates to Alwyn Killingsworth’s article on tank production, especially the link to Mirrlees, Bickerton and Day based in Hazel Grove in Stockport who manufactured diesel engines and developed special engine oil for WWI tanks. I live a mile from the site of the factory and can add more detail.
The company was formed through a series of mergers and acquisitions. The firm originated in Glasgow in the mid nineteenth century. A Mr J B Mirrlees became a partner in 1848. The diesel engine production of the company increased rapidly and a decision was made to move the manufacture of diesel engines to Hazel Grove in Stockport. Mr Day, then chairman, came with the firm and gained financial assistance from a Mr H N Bickerton and the company was born. The factory and manufacturing base opened in 1908, and here, they specialised in developing diesel engines, primarily for the Royal Navy and the special type of Engine Oil.
During WWII they expanded, with engines being supplied for minesweepers, landing craft and as back-up generators for capital ships. It would perhaps have been a prime target for the Luftwaffe but I am not aware that the factory was ever attacked. A Heinkel He111 crashed locally in May 1941 after a raid on Manchester. The four-man crew all bailed out with the flight engineer landing near the factory on an area known locally as Mirrlees fields, but I can’t find evidence of any direct attacks on the factory. Post WWII the company stayed in business, and in 1988 it became part of General Electric and in 1997 it became part of the Rolls Royce Group. In 2006 the factory finally closed. However, the local link with diesel manufacture continues. A company called Everllence UK now has a business on the site servicing and maintaining Mirrlees engines and also supplying spares.
Outside the factory there are a couple of very early examples of their engines on display but I couldn’t get too close to them due to security fencing.
The area next to the factory is still known locally as MIrrlees fields. For many years it was the company golf course, and then a popular field for dog walking. Now it is being built on. The company also lives on with the naming of local streets, and the factory is just a mile away from the Wilfred Wood Pub, on the A6. The pub is named after Wilfred Wood, who gained the VC at the battle of Vitttorio Veneto in Italy in October 1918. More about him another time.’
I couldn’t let Bill mention a VC winner without looking him up, so here is his VC citation.
“On 28th October 1918, near Casa Van, Italy, when a unit on the right flank having been held up by hostile machine guns and snipers, Private Wood, on his own initiative, worked forward with his Lewis gun, enfiladed the enemy machine-gun nest, and caused 140 enemy to surrender. The advance was continued until a hidden machine gun opened fire at point blank range. Without a moment's hesitation Private Wood charged the machine gun, firing his Lewis gun from the hip at the same time. He killed the machine-gun crew, and without further orders pushed on and enfiladed a ditch from which three officers and 160 men subsequently surrendered. The conspicuous valour and initiative of this gallant soldier in the face of intense rifle and machine-gun fire was beyond all praise.”
Wilfred Wood VC.
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Melvin Dobbs is making the most of the better weather and reports; ‘It looks as if you had a good break in Estonia plus an enjoyable day out to the Leeds Armouries. [We certainly did – Ed]
Whilst I took advantage of some decent weather and took my classic car out on a tour of local churches and ended up at the new memorial sculpture/monument "On Freedom's Wings" near Norton Disney and visible to traffic on the A46.
However, first stop was at St. Michaels church, Thorpe on the Hill: Within the church there is a memorial tablet to Harold Southerington, yet another casualty of the German Spring Offensive, a framed Roll of Honour and another memorial tablet to four other men of the Great War.’
‘I then travelled to Aubourn and the Church of St. Peter's next to the delightful grounds of Aubourn Hall and the Ancestral home of the Nevile family.
My Pictures attached show: A memorial tablet to the men of the village who gave their all in the 1939-1945 war, a Brass Plaque to two members of the Nevile family who died in the Great War, and the third picture is of memorial to George Ainslie who married into the Nevile family and who died at the battle of Inkerman in the Crimean War, and below that plaque is another plaque to Gerald Fotherby who died on HMS Glorious in WWII.’
We have covered the story of Bernard Nevile previously in TL. Here is his photo.
Melvin continues; ‘After Aubourn, it was onwards to Norton Disney believed to be the Ancestral home of the Disney family including Walt Disney, he of Mickey Mouse fame and theme parks, there is evidence within the church (St. Peter's) that he visited this historic church with its ancient Tombs and Memorials to the Disney Family dating from the mid 1300's to the late 1500's.’
If I can butt in at this point, yes, Norton Disney is well known for its connection with the Disney family. It is also widely known that in 1949 Walt Disney visited the village whilst the filming of the Disney film “Treasure Island” was taking place in the West Country (Devon/Cornwall).
Here is Walt Disney with camera in 1949.
Melvin continues; ‘There are a couple of wooden memorial plaques to Polish Airmen who died in WWII (sorry poor lighting)
A memorial tablet to Bertie Pickering and Harold Stones who died in WWI, a circular tablet to Frank Greatorex aged 18 years.
Plus, a Roll of Honour to the Men of the Parish who served in both Wars. On checking the names, the Greatorex and Walton families served the Parish and Country well.’
Pickering and Stones - two more casualties of the German Spring Offensive.
Thank you Melvin. As you say, the Walton family in particular served the country beyond reproach.
Melvin then visited the new Lancaster bomber memorial at Norton Disney and took this spectacular shot over the bonnet of his classic Left Hooker Ford Mustang.
Looks like a great trip Melvin, and shows how many Lincolnshire villages and their memorials that are still to be covered in TL.
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We can jump to the east now and move from Lincolnshire to Norfolk. Richard Hughes comments; ‘Over Easter, we are having a few days away at Hunstanton.
The town’s war memorial is obviously based on the design of the Cenotaph in London, and It's in a wonderful position overlooking the Wash.’
Thank you Richard. If anyone has been out and about over Easter please drop me a line with memorials that you have discovered.
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Matt Colley is always a busy bee! and is usually on the trail of a good story and this week, his travels have taken him into the realm of WWII. Matt reports; ‘On the Twyford Road, west of Burrough on the Hill stands a very new memorial. Only unveiled in September 2019, it is the only public place where the names of the men of the 10th Battalion The Parachute Regiment are on display.
Seventy-five years before the unveiling, on 18th September 1944, 582 men of the 10th Battalion, the Parachute Regiment left the nearby village of Somerby en-route for Arnhem. Just two weeks later the villagers and the local Land Girls had laid out a banquet for the returning men. They were appalled to see that only thirty-seven men had returned. The Village has since held an annual Somerby Commemoration to ensure that the courage and sacrifice of these young men was not forgotten.
For more information, visit their website: Home - Friends of the 10th
An excellent website. Please click on the link.
Thank you for flagging this up Matt.
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Matt continues in another vein. Last week, thanks to Jane Harrison, we took a look at the Garner family and I mentioned that James Garner was identified as an airman, but that he did not appear on the 1st April 1918 RAF Muster Roll.
With some spare time over Easter for diligent research, Matt uncovered that James Garner did not start his RAF service until 29th April 1918, hence why he does not appear on the Muster Roll on the day that the RFC became the RAF.
Well done Matt.
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Mike Credland was also in touch with regard to the Garner family amongst other snippets of information from last Sunday’s TL.
Mike writes; ‘Very many thanks again Jonathan for your weekly chronicle, always an interesting read,
A few notes from last Sunday's volume.
I agree with your synopsis on Steve Baldwin's postcard. From the bunting it may have been some special event, although the flags are more akin to types used in semaphore. Often the backs of postcards can be informative, especially for location and dates. [Sadly there is nothing on the back of this post card – Ed]
Thought the attached picture of the Arras Memorial showing Dudley Giles's ancestor Pte Thomas J Pearson may be useful for him.
I've also attached a photograph of Cpl. Leslie Garner's headstone and inscription at Adinkerke Military Cemetery.
Enjoyed reading Nadine's account regarding Zeppelin LZ79 and Peter Jacobs’ story on Margaret Whitson RRC - tremendous he has her medals.
British body armour is not uncommon, and occasionally turns up for sale, and German armour quite often, although much is repro.
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On November 6th 1917, the Canadians eventually captured what remained of Passchendaele village.
Before and after the battle.
This was the final phase of the 3rd Battle of Ypres which had started on July 31st.
Most histories of the Great War will suggest that this was the end of the fighting, as both side settled down for the winter season. However, in reality, the fighting went on well into December and this prompted Nick Firby to pen a few thoughts for us to digest.
Nick notes; ‘Thank you again for a most interesting weekly read. While following the link to William Harby, I came across reference to the attack on Passchendaele Ridge in early December 1917 and Michael LoCicero's book 'A Moonlight Massacre'. My paternal grandfather (45559 Pte W H Firby), 16th Northumberland Fusiliers, took part in this attack where it reportedly formed the counter-counter-attack force located at Virile Farm. Consequently, I read the book and can thoroughly recommend it, not only for its description of the operation itself but, because the attack frontage included a Corps boundary, its detailed account of the higher formation staff planning beforehand at the Corps/Division/Brigade levels. I appreciate it is a lengthy read so, for those who might prefer a shorter version, there is a video presentation on YouTube entitled 'Moonlight Massacre' available via the following link A Moonlight Massacre: the night operation on the Passchendaele Ridge | Dr Michael LoCicero
Thank you for making us all aware of this YouTube presentation Nick. I was aware of LoCicero’s book but I have not read it.
I hope you will take a few minutes to click on the link.
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Bill Pinfold has also kindly taken the time to let us have links to programmes that should be of interest to many TL readers.
Bill notes; ‘This is an interesting bit of Sherlock Holmes deduction type research. WWII rather than WWI, but fascinating nevertheless. It concerns a diary that was found in a ditch in Sussex and the diary belonged to an English woman trapped in Vichy France in 1944.
It’s available for only a month, and the programme lasts for 30 minutes. Click on either of these links.’
[You really must listen to this, it is the most fascinating and emotional story – Ed]
Fragments in Time - BBC Sounds
Bill then continues; ‘As we move towards the remembrance of the Somme campaign this year, it is worth recognising the Irish contribution by men who were torn between their hopes for their own nation and their thoughts of being part of the larger Britain and Europe.
I happened across this short video today, it lasts just four minutes.
It references the lawyer Tom Kettle who died in 1916 and who spanned the challenges of fighting as an Irishman. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Kettle
Following Bill’s email, I watched the video and then did a bit more work on just who Tom Kettle was. Tom Kettle was a Lieutenant in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers and he was killed in the fighting on the Somme. His body was not identified and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.
Tom Kettle left this lasting epitaph. “If I live, I mean to spend the rest of my life working for perpetual peace. I have seen war and faced artillery and know what an outrage it is against simple men.”
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In Trench Lincs, we cover, due to our geographical location, many tales of the Lincolnshire Regiment and the Sherwood Foresters.
This week, Andrew Sayers has uncovered a piece of history regarding the 45th Regiment of Foot (Nottinghamshire), one of the two regiments, along with the 95th Regiment (Derbyshire) that formed the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derbys) Regiment.
On April 6th 1812 Wellington’s Peninsular army stormed the old city walls of Badajoz in western Spain, this is a battle location that I visited back in 2018.
Badajoz Day marks the successful storming of the Spanish city and castle of Badajoz on 6th April 1812.
Lieutenant James MacPherson of 45th (Nottinghamshire) Regiment ran his scarlet jacket up the flagpole when the castle was captured, in the absence of a Union flag.
A jacket is flown outside the 2nd Battalion Mercian Regiment's (Worcesters and Foresters) Nottinghamshire headquarters at Foresters House in Chilwell on 6 April every year to commemorate the battle.
During the battle Lieutenant James MacPherson was one of the first men to break through onto the castle ramparts.
Whilst climbing a ladder up the castle wall he found himself face-to-face with a French soldier. Before MacPherson could offer any resistance he was shot but the musket ball struck a silver button on his waistcoat and glanced off.
MacPherson and his colleagues pressed on and he made his way to the Keep. Once there he tore down the French flag and raised his jacket to let his superiors know that the walls had been scaled.
In 1812, England was at war with France and Badajoz was a fortress town in western Spain, three miles from the Portuguese border.
The capture of this town was said to be vital to both the British and the French as it guarded the vital route to Madrid, central to French control of the Iberian Peninsula.
The 45th Regiment was one of only three regiments to serve for the duration of the campaign between 1808 and 1814.
The British victory at Badajoz and the part played by Lt MacPherson and the 45th Regiment was crucial to the ultimate victory in the Peninsula War.
Here is the photo I took in 2018 of the now repaired city wall at Badajoz. You can see the inscription 1812 in the stonework.. This is the exact point that MacPherson scaled the wall.
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We finish once again with another wonderful colourised photograph from Chris at Colour by CJS. I found this tale very poignant, as I wrote extensively about the Peak District and WWI in the run up to the centenary events of 2014-18.
Chapel en le Frith history-pdf (3).pdf Click here to read my work and you will note that John Herbert Fletcher’s death is mentioned in my booklet on page 18.
Serjeant John Herbert Fletcher.
John was born in Chapel-en-le-Frith in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, and later he moved to live in the nearby village of Dove Holes.
John was not a highly educated man and before the war he worked as a general labourer.
He married his sweetheart, Mary Ann, and they had a daughter.
John, along with many thousands of men, enlisted early in the war, in John’s case, on 9th September 1914.
He served in 1st/6th Battalion, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment (The Sherwood Foresters), affectionately known as ‘The Wild Men of the Peak’, the 6th Battalion formed part of the 139th Brigade of 46th (North Midland) Division.
The 46th Division was the first complete Territorial Force Division to serve on the Western Front, arriving in February 1915. They first entered the front lines east of Ypres and many of the Trenches around Sanctuary Wood were named by the 6th Battalion after local Peak District locations, like Tor Top.
It was near here that John was killed by a sniper on 13th April 1915 while joining a working party.
He was the first man from his village to be killed in the war, and today, John is buried in Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery in Belgium.
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In Memoriam the Lincolnshire Regiment 12th April.
1915
8389 Private John William Lowther, 1st Battalion, aged 48. Remembered on the Menin Gate, Belgium.
1917
Forty-one men of the Lincolnshire Regiment are recorded as having died on this day on what would be the fourth day of the Battle of Arras.
1918
49942 Private Harcourt Edgar Wilford, 10th Battalion, aged 30. Remembered on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium.
241748 Private John Burgess 2nd/5th Battalion, aged 25. – Ditto. –
Second Lieutenant G Shaw, 2nd Battalion, aged 31. Buried in Wytschaete Military Cemetery, Belgium.
203087 Private Charles Matthew Revill, 2nd Battalion. Remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.
8794 Private John Cooper, 2nd Battalion, aged 28. – Ditto. –
5136 CSM George Page, 1st Battalion, aged 37. – Ditto. –
200520 Private H Beecham, 2nd Battalion, aged 34. Buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium.
1919
46659 Lance Corporal Arthur Pearcey, 13th Battalion **, aged 27. Buried in Leeds Cemetery, UK.
48022 Private E T Smith, 23rd Battalion **, aged 21. Buried Cologne Southern Cemetery, UK.
1921
1397 Sergeant William Henry Williams, 10th Battalion, aged 27. Buried in Boston Cemetery, UK.
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.
** Regarding the two 1919 casualties, the 13th Battalion was disbanded on 31st October 1917, so this is a mistake made by the original clerks of the War Graves Commission, and there never was a 23rd Battalion, so again, I assume this was a typo in the original records.
Until next week,
All best wishes
Jonathan
© Jonathan D’Hooghe
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