Trench Lincs 17th August 2025

If you would like to receive TL weekly with all photos, email me your name to trenchlincs@gmail.com

Good Morning,

Welcome to this week’s TL which comes to you from the Suffolk coast where, for the first time ever, I have all five of my children and all seven of my grandchildren together on one holiday break - this is possible, as my eldest boy, Robert and his family flew into Heathrow last Tuesday from Australia. His first visit back to the UK since January 2018!

We have had a long weekend of sand castle building, swimming in the North Sea, ice cream eating, crab fishing, fish and chips and Adnams ales – what more could you want?

FORTHCOMING EVENTS.

The Lincoln and North Lincs WFA branch will next hold a speaker event on Monday September 15th.

Tim Coltman will present "The Story of the Two Crosses: William Coltman, VC, DCM & Bar, MM & Bar".

The venue as ever will be the Royal Naval Club Coulson Road, Lincoln, LN6 7BG, 7.30 pm start.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The East Midlands (Nottingham) WFA Branch meets again on Friday 12th September at 7.30pm at St. Peter’s Church Hall, Church Street, Ruddington, Nottingham, NG11 6HA. All welcome.

The speaker on this night is Stephen Barker who will speak about “Nobody’s Heroes – The 8th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment in the Great War.”

Everyone is very welcome.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Next Meeting – Spalding & South Lincs Branch WFA – Thursday, 25th September – Spalding Baptist Church, Swan Street, Spalding, PE11 1BT - Doors open 7.00pm for 7.30pm.

Talk Title – For King & Country at Loos

‘Deeply regret to inform you that 2/Lt C F B Hodgins 2/Wiltshire Regt is reported killed Sept 25/26. Lord Kitchener desires to express his sympathy. Secretary War Office.’ – Telegram from the War Office dated 29 September 1915.

This is the true and previously untold story of one man’s war on the Western Front during the First World War. As a young man, still in his teens, Charlie Hodgins answered the call to ‘do his bit’ for King and Country. Like so many others, he was never to return. He was killed on 25 September 1915, on the opening day of the Battle of Loos. According to an officer in his battalion, he died 'leading his men with great gallantry, and even when wounded, tried to rise and take them on'. Drawing on the many letters, photographs and telegrams Charlie sent home, along with newspaper articles, war archives and other personal accounts, historian Peter Jacobs has pieced together the final moments of Charlie’s short life. This is a compelling and poignant tale of personal courage and one family’s loss. But it also tells of the tragedy and suffering experienced by a generation of men during the First World War.

The Speaker – Peter Jacobs

PETER JACOBS served in the Royal Air Force for thirty-seven years as an air defence navigator on the F4 Phantom and Tornado F3, after which he completed staff tours at HQ 11 Group, HQ Strike Command, the Ministry of Defence, and the RAF College Cranwell. He has written twenty-three books on military and aviation subjects, and as well as being a keen military historian, he is an active speaker and cemetery tour guide with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

The Leadenham Military History Group’s next meeting will be on Tuesday 26th August, at Leadenham Village Hall with a start time of 7.30pm.

The evening will start with a light hearted quiz on all subjects of military interest. Teams to be assembled on the night.

Followed by a talk – ‘HMS Hermes and her role in the Fleet Air Arm 1959-1984’ by Simon Hudson.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The next presentation in the Friends of Lincoln Tank 2025 season of talks will be held on Thursday 4th September when Andrew Thornton will talk about ‘The Old Contemptibles Association.’

The OC’s were specifically those men of the original BEF who served in a war theatre from the outbreak of war in August 1914 to November 22nd 1914.

The venue as usual is the Royal Naval Club, Coulson Road, Lincoln, LN6 7BG. 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Everyone welcome.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Another group who meet at the Royal Naval Club, Coulson Road, Lincoln, LN6 7BG are the Lincs Aviation Society.

I now have great pleasure in advertising their forthcoming events, which take place on the third Thursday of each month - entry is £2 for members and £3 for visitors.

The next speaker event will be held on Thursday 21st August when Chris Finn will speak about ‘The Buccaneer in the First Gulf War.’

Please arrive 7pm for a 7.30pm start.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Last week Roger Frankish regaled us all with an in depth life story of Private Rapson who appeared in the In Memoriam section of TL at the beginning of August. Roger noted that his name appears on the Great Central Railway memorial in Sheffield and this prompted Chas Anderson to kindly send me this link which tells all about this particular memorial.

Click here to read more Victoria Station Memorial

Unveiled in 1922 by Lord Haig, the memorial has led a precarious life and has nearly been lost during demolition works at the station over the years, but since 2008, it resides in the grounds of what was once the Victorian Station Hotel and is now the Royal Victoria Holiday Inn.

I hope you will click the link as the story is well worth reading.

The memorial as it originally looked.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Bill Roffey kindly wrote the following this week; 'I was quite taken by the comments last week of Malcolm Wayland . Like him I really enjoy TL each week, and appreciate the amount of work you put into it. What its done for me is give me an outlet and made me realise the stories and photos I have in my possession are important. My lot are an ordinary family, no military background. Both my Grandfathers survived WW1 and WW2 respectively and Dad did his National Service in Palestine. But it's made me realise all families have stories to tell, and ours is no exception. In my opinion these human stories, are just as important as the 'big' stories that are well known D Day, Dunkirk, Pearl Harbour, Jutland, Passchendale, The Somme etc. I was grateful to be able to share my Grandfather's WW1 diary in the early days (when it wasn't called Trench Lincs but something else.) The readers helped me trace the final journey of my Mum's cousin John who was lost in Burma, I have been able to send and have published many family pictures, and shared many pictures I have taken on my travels. I have been able to locate in the archives both my Grandfather's service records, pension cards and medal cards. Without Trench Lincs it is unlikely I would have done much of this. My family stories would have been lost, or never told. I learn something every week too. Always something new to take on board. I also like that you don't need a user name and password and have to log in somewhere to read it. It's just a simple email!

It's also given me an idea for another project. More of that another time.

So thank you from a grateful reader.'

Thank you Bill for your kind words and it is wonderful to think that TL has inspired you to find out more about your 'ordinary' family and their stories. Here is Bill's grandfather in his RFC uniform from a much earlier story that we covered about him and his Somme diary.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

A couple of weeks ago, Robin Sayer and myself had a day touring villages and churches between Newark and Grantham. The tour took in Newark, Balderton, Dry Doddington, Claypole, Long Bennington, Bottesford, Westborough, Hougham, Marston, Hough on the Hill and Caythorpe.

Sadly, one or two churches were closed and locked but we did have a wonderful tour and discovered some amazing memorials that were unknown to me and yet are, to coin a phrase, on my doorstep.

Starting in Newark, we visited the London Road cemetery as Robin had not visited the Polish War Graves plot before. Although I had been on many occasions, I was surprised to see a new statue had been erected to General Sikorski which I did not know about.

The Polish War Graves and CWGC plot is well worth a visit and although Sikorski has now been exhumed and reburied in Krakow, there are three other Polish Presidents in exile buried in Newark.

The darkest day for Newark during WWII was 7th March 1941 when the Germans bombed the Ransom and Marles ball bearing factory. Although we have covered this incident before, here are the details.

Newark’s Blackest Day: The Ransome & Marles Bombing of 1941

Date: Friday, 7 March 1941

Location: Ransome & Marles Bearings Factory, Beacon Hill, Newark-on-Trent

Casualties: 41 killed (29 men, 12 women), 165 injured

Attackers: Two German Luftwaffe Heinkel He 111 bombers Time of First Alert: 13:35

On Friday, March 7, 1941, Newark-on-Trent experienced its "Black Friday" – a day etched into the town's history by a brutal and precise German air raid on the Ransome & Marles bearing factory. This attack, a stark reminder of the industrial war effort and its human cost, claimed dozens of lives and left an indelible mark on the community.

During the Second World War, the Ransome & Marles factory was a vital cog in Britain’s military machine. At the heart of the Allied war machine, it was the largest manufacturer of ball and roller bearings in the Allied world. These crucial components were essential for everything from aircraft engines – including Spitfires, Hurricanes, and Lancaster bombers – to naval gun turrets. Such a vital target made it an obvious objective for the Luftwaffe

The factory was not just a workplace—it was a community hub. It supported local sports clubs, had its own brass band (which made over 500 BBC broadcasts - many were broadcast direct from the works canteen via a BBC direct radio link), and employed many residents from Newark and surrounding villages.

On the 7th March 1941, this changed

The raid began at approximately 1:40 PM, a time when many workers were returning from their lunch breaks. The first air raid siren had sounded just minutes before, at 1:35 PM, giving little warning.

A single German Heinkel III bomber, flying so low that its markings were visible to those on the ground, approached the factory from the south, following the railway line. Despite being fired upon from several positions, the bomber successfully dropped four high-explosive bombs:

• Two landed directly within the factory works, causing significant damage.

• One struck the road alongside the factory.

• Another hit an air-raid shelter adjacent to Stanley Street.

The aircraft then machine-gunned the site before circling and making a second pass, dropping another bomb that, fortunately, failed to explode. German reports later stated the aircraft made a third pass to take photographs, underscoring the target's strategic importance.

As the "Raiders Passed" siren sounded, rescue parties immediately sprang into action. Ambulances ferried casualties to Newark Hospital, while the Home Guard worked to clear roads. First Aid posts and Women's Voluntary Service canteens were overwhelmed.

However, the terror was not over. At 2:24 PM, the alert sounded again. Another enemy aircraft approached, dropping five more bombs. Only one of these exploded, but its impact near the road caused further damage and, tragically, more casualties, many of whom were the brave rescue workers who had rushed to the aid of others. The final "Raiders Passed" siren was heard at 2:51 PM.

The Ransome & Marles bombing resulted in the largest single loss of life in Newark during World War II. In total, 41 people were killed – 29 men and 12 women. Another 165 individuals sustained injuries, with 65 admitted to Newark Hospital and over 100 treated at the factory's own underground hospital.

During WWII Newark was attacked 8 times killing 43 people, but this was by far the worst raid

The list of victims paints a poignant picture of lives abruptly cut short. They were ordinary people – factory workers, a young woman planning her wedding the following weekend, a man recently discharged from the army, and even a Home Guard volunteer. One particularly tragic case was Esther Evelyn Varney, aged 19, whose body was never found after the air-raid shelter she was in was bombed; only a single red shoe was recovered.

Some of the identified victims include:

• George Harold Henry Adams, aged 45 • Wilfred Evelyn Andrew, aged 39 • Olive Ash, aged 31

• Bertie Augustus Ball, aged 18 • Ernest Patrick Beale, aged 27 • Vivian Maud Castle, aged 18

• Enid Winifred Hall Cooper, aged 30 • Edna May Cottam, aged 19• Gladys Cummings, aged 21

• William Joseph Dixey, aged 62 • Frederick Fowler, aged 39 • George William Godridge, aged 29

• Robert Barnsdale Grant, aged 47 (his son later became Newark town mayor) • John Henry Green, aged 55 (Volunteer Home Guard) • Rose Ellen Hall, aged 30 • Thomas McHallam Hardie, aged 26 • Sybil Harriet Hayden, aged 34 • Joyce May Kirton, aged 18 • Lily Lambert, aged 22 • George Felix Lambley, aged 39 • Edith Makins, aged 21 • Frederick William Mann, aged 46 • Frederick Markwell, aged 50 • Claude Ware Hannah Martin, aged 36 • Edward E. Martin, aged 46 • Richard Naylor, aged 25 • Frederick William Packwood, aged 52 • William Thomas Pepper, aged 18 • Frederick Richards, aged 32 • Alfred Mayfield Ridge, aged 68 • Reginald William Senior, aged 35 (died the following day) • George Swanwick, aged 38 • Norah Trueblood, aged 34 • Esther Evelyn Varney, aged 19 (body never found) • William Warner, aged 51 • Arthur Worrell, aged 31

Many of these individuals are buried in Newark Cemetery, where their memory is preserved.

The bombing had a profound and immediate impact on Newark. The scale of the casualties shocked the town, and the day was quickly dubbed "Black Friday." Local newspapers were heavily censored, permitted only to report that "a single German plane came out of the low-lying clouds yesterday and dropped a number of bombs on an East Midlands town," with "a number of casualties, some being fatal." The full details of the raid remained classified until the end of the war.

Despite the devastation, the response was swift and determined. The British government recognized the critical importance of Ransome & Marles to the war effort. Government forces swiftly moved in, and remarkably, the factory was rebuilt and fully operational within three weeks. This rapid recovery was a testament to the resilience of the community and the strategic necessity of its output.

In the aftermath, defensive measures were enhanced. The existing Lewis guns on Clay Lane Bridge were replaced with a more robust Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft gun. Fortunately, the factory was not subjected to another direct attack of this magnitude.

The Ransome & Marles bombing stands as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made on the home front during World War II. The lives lost and the trauma endured by the people of Newark underscore the far-reaching impact of the conflict, extending far beyond the battlefields to the factories and communities vital to the war effort. Today, memorials and local histories ensure that "Black Friday" and its victims are never forgotten.

Extra mention:

In 2016 on the 75th anniversary, a street in Newark was named (off Sleaford road) which was called Esther Varney Place.

Text from https://www.coddington.org.uk/ransome-a-marles-air-raid-1941/

Next stop was Balderton churchyard to pay our respects to three young men of the 2nd/8th Sherwood Foresters who died in Dublin in April 1916 fighting against the assortment of Irish Nationalists who led the Easter uprising.

We have covered these three men before in Trench Lincs, so therefore I will just mention that as I walked through the churchyard, I spied two headstones that had epitaphs added to remember relatives who had fallen in WWI and who were buried in France.

A P Walker died at Vermelles on 3rd October 1915 and is remembered on a family cross and Jesse Chapman, who died in October 1916 of wounds received, is remembered on his widow’s headstone. Both very poignant and moving tributes.

Walker died at Vermelles and remembered in Balderton.

Jesse Chapman died of wounds in France and also remembered in Balderton.

At Claypole we found two tablet memorials to the local men who died in both world wars, and the Second World War tablet contained the name of Arthur Scarf VC, again a life story that we have previously covered in TL. You may recall that Scarf won his VC with the RAF fighting single-handedly against overwhelming Japanese opposition.

From Claypole, we travelled to Dry Doddington only to find the church locked, so we headed to Long Bennington where I spotted a possibly unique CWGC headstone. [If any one knows of another like this, please let me know – Ed]

The CWGC headstone in question is for R100254 Sergent de Section Royal Canadian Air Force Air Gunner R R Landry whose date of death is given as Le 5 Mars 1943. Have you ever seen a CWGC headstone where the rank and date of death is in French? I assume all French speaking Canadians have a CWGC headstone like this, but I have never seen one before.

Inscriptions in French.

Next stop was Bottesford. This village church is arguably one of the finest village churches in England and it reputedly has the tallest spire of any village church in the country. Its origins are interwoven with the Manners family, today the Duke of Rutland and his family who reside at Belvoir Castle. As a result, the Dukes and their ancestors have lavished funds over the centuries and many of the early Earls of Rutland [Before receiving a Dukedom – Ed] are buried in very ornate tombs within the church.

The church spire was often deemed to be a problem to RAF bombers taking off from RAF Bottesford (Normanton) during WWII and the spire is said to have been one of the last buildings in the UK hit by Luftwaffe machine gun fire before the war’s end.

St. Mary’s is a special church for my family, I have walked two of my daughters down the aisle at Bottesford and seen my children and some of my grandchildren christened here, so it is always a pleasure to visit Bottesford, even though there had been an attempted break in the night before.

Within the church, there are a number of tablets of interest, see the pictures below, and a number of RAF CWGC headstones can be visited in one corner of the churchyard.

There is a tablet naming all of the villagers who died in both world wars, a tablet commemorating all of the men and women who served at RAF Bottesford and a family tablet dedicated to Arthur Bernard Hickson who died in the infamous HMT Mercian incident in November 1915 whilst serving with the Lincolnshire Yeomanry.

Westborough church, like Dry Doddington, was closed, so our next port of call was Hougham. This very small one road hamlet, has a church that is not visible as you drive through the village. Following a small sign for the church, I was amazed at the treasures it contained and delighted that we had made the effort to locate it.

Eight men are recorded as having died in the Great War including three men of the Glover family. What a terrible tragedy this would have been for one family in such a small community. I just had to do a little more research on these three brave men.

Herbert Glover was the son of William Hawley Glover and he died aged 20 on 15th November 1916 whilst serving with 2/South Staffords, and today he lies in Serre No.1 Cemetery on the Somme.

Arthur Glover was the son of W and S Glover of Hougham and was attached to the Trench Mortar Battery whilst serving with 4/Lincolns. He died on 27th October 1917 aged 19 and he lies in Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, France.

Henry died in the UK on 2nd May 1915 and is buried at Grimsby Scartho Road Cemetery. He too was a son of W H and S Glover, which makes, as expected, the three men all to be brothers. Henry was married to Florence and was aged 29 when he died in the service of 1/Lincolns.

A relatively modern tablet in the church records the death of Captain Andrew Mark Vere Nicoll who died whilst serving with the Army Air Corps in 2003.

On 13th November 1942, an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley with a crew of five collided with an Avro Anson piloted by A Stone close to Hougham, and Hougham churchyard contains a memorial to this very tragic accident in which all six men lost their lives.

Just a very short drive from Hougham, we came to Marston, where the controlling family, over the centuries is the Thorold family. Tombs within the church date back well into the 16th Century and a tablet remembers Ernest Hayford Thorold, who was Chaplain General to King George VI in 1939-40.

There are tablets to the village war dead of both world wars, and again, I couldn’t help noticing that from this small rural village, four men of the Hallam family made the ultimate sacrifice.

The last name on the 14-18 memorial is Private F C Wilkinson, and he is buried in Marston church yard. On looking him up, I was pleased to find that he served with the 7th Battalion Sherwood Foresters, and he was therefore, another Robin Hood to add my records.

The four Hallam boys, I felt, were also worth doing a little more research and at first I couldn’t find a record for Captain Walter E Hallam. I pinned him down eventually as the CWGC have him listed as Captain Ernest Walter Hallam. He was the son of Frederick and Fanny Hallam of Marston and the husband of Ida Hallam of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Captain Hallam had obviously emigrated before the war and was serving with the 18th Battalion Canadian Infantry when killed on 29th September 1915. He is buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, France and was 32 years of age.

Private Norman Hallam lies near to Captain Hallam above in Bailleul Communal Cemetery (not the extension). He died on 24th October 1914 and was serving with 2/York and Lancs and was of course, an Old Contemptible.

Sergeant John Hallam MM was a brother to Captain Hallam above and was killed on 13th November 1916 aged 28, whilst serving with 13/East Yorks. His body was not identified and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.

Private Leonard Hallam was also a brother to John and Walter (Ernest) and he too lies today at Bailleul but in Outtersteene Communal Cemetery Extension. I suspect that Norman was also a brother and it is a very sad coincidence that three of the four Hallam boys are all buried in Bailleul.

Sadly, another Hallam died in WWII.

A further short drive took us to Hough on the Hill where the church was locked, but a fine wayside calvary sits in the church yard as a village war memorial.

Walking between the grave stones, my eye fell upon the last resting place of Joseph Lord. Joseph died in 1886 but his family had the great forethought to have both of his grandsons remembered on his headstone – both grandsons, Captain Arthur Fox MC of the KSLI and Percy Lord of the Motor Transport Section of the ASC died in 1917 and 1918 respectively and are both buried in France, and I felt that this was a very poignant family tribute to the lads.

Our final destination for the day was Caythorpe. The church is often locked but on this day it was fortunately open as Robin had not seen before, the wide array of WWII Airborne memorials that lie within the walls of the church, including two beautiful windows.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Arthur Wood has been on his travels once again, this time to parts of Belgium that only saw fighting in August and September 1914 until the final advance to victory in October 1918.

He kindly sent me this photograph of a memorial to A A Fonck, reputedly the first Belgian soldier to die in the Great War. I did not know about this man and his memorial, so a big thank you to Arthur.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Finally, for this week, and a somewhat shorter edition of TL due to being busy with my family, here is the latest from Colour by CJS.

One of the most well-known VC winners of the Great War is Lieutenant Colonel Wilfrith Elstob who commanded the Manchester Redoubt on 21st march 1918 and the opening day of the German Spring Offensive.

“To the last round and to the last man”.

Lieutenant Colonel Wilfrith Elstob VC, DSO, MC

Wilfrith was born in Chichester in 1888 where his father was a Vicar.

Young Wilfrith studied at Manchester University and the Sorbonne in Paris and before the war he worked as senior French master at a school in Edinburgh.

He enlisted in August 1914 and served in the 16th Battalion, Manchester Regiment, where he was wounded on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme. He continued to lead his men earning a Military Cross for his gallantry and was wounded again eight days later.

He fought at Arras and in Third Battle of Ypres whereby, in January 1918 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his bravery and leadership in those 1917 battles.

In March 1918 the Germans launched a massive offensive, hoping to win a decisive victory before large numbers of American troops arrived in Europe.

On the eve of battle Wilfrith addressed his men. “There is only one degree of resistance” he told them “and that is to the last round and to the last man”.

Protected by thick fog the attack swiftly overran British positions and the line collapsed in the first few hours.

Cut off and surrounded, Wilfrith and 167 men of the Manchesters held their position and fought on.

It was later reported that about 4:30pm their ammunition ran out and as the remnants of the defenders were overwhelmed the Germans asked Wilfrith to surrender.

He replied “Never!”’ and was immediately shot dead.

Only 17 of the defenders of Manchester Hill managed to return to the British Lines.

For his actions on that day he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.

His citation reads:

For most conspicuous bravery, devotion to duty and self-sacrifice during operations at Manchester Redoubt, near St. Quentin, on the 21 March 1918. During the preliminary bombardment he encouraged his men in the posts in the Redoubt by frequent visits, and when repeated attacks developed controlled the defence at the points threatened, giving personal support with revolver, rifle and bombs. Single-handed he repulsed one bombing assault driving back the enemy and inflicting severe casualties. Later, when ammunition was required, he made several journeys under severe fire in order to replenish the supply. Throughout the day Lieutenant-Colonel Elstob, although twice wounded, showed the most fearless disregard of his own safety, and by his encouragement and noble example inspired his command to the fullest degree. The Manchester Redoubt was surrounded in the first wave of the enemy attack, but by means of the buried cable Lieutenant-Colonel Elstob was able to assure his Brigade Commander that "The Manchester Regiment will defend Manchester Hill to the last." Sometime after this post was overcome by vastly superior forces, and this very gallant officer was killed in the final assault, having maintained to the end the duty which he had impressed on his men – namely, "Here we fight, and here we die." He set throughout the highest example of valour, determination, endurance and fine soldierly bearing.

He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial to the missing.

Wilfrith Elstob was just 29 years old.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

IN MEMORIAM - The Lincolnshire Regiment 17th August.

1915

12413 Private A Lill, 7th Battalion. Buried in Voormezeele Enclosure No.3 Cemetery, Belgium.

11503 Private G Harris, 6th Battalion. Buried in Alexandria Military and War Cemetery, Egypt.

10395 Lance Corporal Robert Savage, 6th Battalion, aged 22. – Ditto. –

1916

5534 Private Charles Frederick Dame, 4th Battalion. Buried in Berles Position Military Cemetery, France.

1917

8698 Sergeant James Baker, 2nd Battalion, aged 27. Remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium

25101 Private Sydney Whitfield, 2nd Battalion, aged 32. Buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium.

39747 Private E H Sutcliffe, 14th Labour Company. Buried in The Huts Cemetery, Belgium.

40130 Private T W Wilson, 7th Battalion, aged 23. Buried in Sunken Road Cemetery, France.

1918

37740 Private L Ullyet, 4th Labour Company, aged 22. Buried in Esquelbec Military Cemetery, France.

43056 Private John Edward Dawson, 7th Battalion, aged 23. Buried in Daours communal Cemetery Extension, France.

32097 Private Reuben Haigh, 7th Battalion, aged 21. – Ditto. –

44168 Private William Arthur Oates, 7th Battalion, aged 39. Buried in Mont Huon Military Cemetery, France.

1919

29192 Private M Cunningham, 12th Battalion, aged 25. Buried in Whickham Cemetery, UK.

1920

40626 Lance Corporal Arthur Burton, 6th Battalion, aged 24. Buried in Kirton Old Cemetery, UK.

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

I look forward to writing again next Sunday and letting you know about a day out with our very special Belgian correspondent, Nadine and her husband Philip, who are calling to see me on their way north for a holiday in Scotland and Orkney.

Until next week

All best wishes

Jonathan

www.jonathandhooghe.co.uk

e: trenchlincs@gmail.com

© Jonathan D’Hooghe