Trench Lincs 29th June 2025
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- 3 days ago
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Welcome to this week’s Trench Lincs as we now approach the 109th anniversary of the opening day of the Somme offensive on 1st July 1916.
I had the great pleasure of speaking about this event at the Leadenham Military History Club last Tuesday evening and of course, regular TL readers will know that next Thursday, 3rd July, will be the 109th anniversary of the death in battle of my great uncle, 19053 Lance Corporal Jack D’Hooghe who fell at Ovillers with his mates of the 7th Battalion Suffolk regiment as the attack by 12th (Eastern) Division ground to a halt south of Thiepval.
The 7/Suffolks War Diary states; ‘At 3.15am the Battalion made a frontal attack on Ovillers on a frontage of 200 yards. On the right of the Battalion was the 5th Royal Berks and on the left the 37th Brigade, the 36th Brigade being in Reserve. [There were 4 battalions in a Brigade and 7/Suffolks were one battalion of 35th Brigade – Ed] Two companies of the Essex Regiment were in support for each battalion.
Ten minutes before Zero the leading waves advanced under cover of the bombardment and at the hour of Zero the Battalion assaulted in eight successive waves. The first 4 waves (D and C Companies) penetrated to the enemy’s third line and portions of them into the village itself, but owing to the darkness touch was lost with succeeding waves and with the 5th Royal Berks on the right, so that the leading waves were not supported closely enough, thus allowing the Germans to get in between the waves and cut off the leading ones at the 3rd line of resistance, it was at this 3rd German line that the chief casualties occurred and the assault was brought to a standstill. The two companies of the Essex Regt. moving up in support were too far behind and practically annihilated by machine gun fire.
The casualties in the Battalion were 21 Officers and 458 Other ranks killed, wounded and missing.’
This represented a loss of some 52% or every other man. Great Uncle Jack’s body was never identified and today he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing.
Last week, my good friend Arthur Wood was on the Somme and kindly sent me the following up to date photos of the Thiepval Memorial and Jack’s name on the memorial as well as looking him up for me on the database in the visitor centre.
The Thiepval memorial looking splendid in the June sunshine.
Jack's name on the Thiepval memorial.
Next time you are at the Thiepval visitor centre, please search for Jack on the data base and read all about him.
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS.
The East Midlands (Nottingham) WFA Branch meets again on Friday 11th July at 7.30pm at St. Peter’s Church Hall, Church Street, Ruddington, Nottingham, NG11 6HA. All welcome.
The speaker is Chris Johns whose talk is entitled; “Dear Billie” – Killed on Flying Duty. The Changing Role of Castle Bromwich (Birmingham) Airfield During the Great War.
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Next Meeting - Spalding & South Lincs Branch WFA - Thursday, July 24th
The Branch will continue to meet during 2025 on Thursday evenings at Spalding Baptist Church, Swan Street, Spalding, PE11 1BT. Meetings are held in an ante-room of this pleasant, and modern venue. It’s warm in winter, cool in summer, and we continue to serve free refreshments at the end of the meeting.
July 24th – Jerry Porter presents “Goodnight Darling – God Bless You – Heaps of Love, Mother”.
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The Leadenham Military History Group’s next meeting will be on Tuesday 22nd July, at Leadenham Village Hall with a start time of 7.30pm.
There has been a change to the programme, and I will let you have full details shortly.
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The next presentation in the Friends of Lincoln Tank 2025 season of talks will be held on Thursday July 31st when group Chairman, Richard Pullen, will talk about ‘The Armament of the MKIV Tank and its Crew.’
The venue as usual is the Royal Naval Club, Coulson Road, Lincoln, LN6 7BG. 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Everyone welcome.
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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 17th July when Colin Wylie will speak about ‘Flight Safety.’
Please arrive 7pm for a 7.30pm start.
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Next Meeting - Lincoln & North Lincs Branch, WFA - Monday, July 14th - Royal Naval Association Club, Coulson Road, Lincoln, LN6 7BG - 7.00pm for 7.30pm start - Annual General Meeting followed by "The History of the Lincolnshire Yeomanry" by Mike Credland.
Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the Lincoln & North Lincs Branch of the WFA shall take place on Monday, July 14th, commencing 7.30pm prompt. The meeting shall receive and approve the Minutes of the 2024 AGM, the Branch Accounts for the 2024/2025 financial year, and appoint Officer and Committee Members for the 2025/2026 year. A formal Agenda and copy of the 2024 Minutes are available by clicking on the links below.
Any Branch supporter who wishes to a) serve on the Committee, or nominate a person willing to serve, b) submit a motion for debate, or c) have any ideas for future Branch activities and talks, is requested to submit same by e-mailing chairman2@lincolnbranchwfa.com no later than July 7th.
Supporters are reminded that only fully paid up members of the WFA are permitted to serve on the Committee (although non-members may serve in a non-executive position) or vote on any agenda items/motions.
The positions of Treasurer and Secretary are currently vacant and you can request further details by emailing the address listed above or clicking on the links below.
Following the AGM - which we promise will be despatched p.d.q. - we have pleasure in calling on Mike Credland to deliver the Chairman's Annual Lecture. Mike has delivered many excellent, well researched and illustrated talks in the past, and this year his subject will be "The History of the Lincolnshire Yeomanry".
This richly illustrated presentation gives the history of the Lincolnshire Yeomanry from its formation in 1794 until being disbanded in 1920. The unique talk puts together untold stories of the Regiment, especially during the Great War, and includes many unpublished photographs.
Mike Credland is currently Chairman of the Branch, and Vice-Chairman of the Friends of Lincoln Tank. He designed a new Memorial to the 46th (North Midlands) Division for placement on the site of the Hohenzollern Redoubt near Loos in memory of those of the Division who lost their lives in the badly planned attack here on 13th October, 1915, and two other memorials here in Lincoln; one to the Lincolnshire Regiment at Sobraon Barracks on Burton Road, Lincoln, and the Lincoln Tank Memorial located on the roundabout at the north end of Tritton Road. He also researched and wrote a book entitled "The First World War Memorials of Lincolnshire" which was published by the Society for Lincolnshire History and Archaeology (if you don't have a copy, it is highly recommended you obtain one) and was awarded the British Empire Medal in Queen Elizabeth II's 2018 New Year's Honours List for First World War Heritage and Remembrance.
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Peter Garland writes in with further news from the Lincoln and North Lincs WFA branch and he comments;
"Linesman" Trench Mapping Device available to hire from Lincoln Branch WFA.
Some years ago, Lincoln Branch WFA purchased a tablet device running the "Linesman" Trench mapping/trench location programme which uses GPS to "geo-locate" the user in the landscape, and display the appropriate trench map for that location according to a date/time period selected by the user. The device has come in very useful over the years the Branch has owned it, enhancing the enjoyment of people taking part in our battlefield tours by showing them exactly where they are standing in relation to the once extensive trench systems that are now long gone, leaving little or no evidence of their location.
From the start, it has always been Branch policy to allow bona-fide battlefield tourists to hire the device from us, so, we would like to remind you we do have it, and you can hire it, subject to the following conditions:
a) A security deposit of £100.00 is required from the hirer, which is fully refundable on safe return of the device, in good condition, with no visible damage.
b) The hirer agrees that they WILL NOT download any other programmes or apps onto the device, or modify or attempt to modify the device's existing operating system.
c) The device uses GPS, and does not come with any data plan or other connectivity, and may not be used for accessing the internet, social media apps or similar.
The device comes in a see-through weatherproof cover, with operating instructions and charging cable, and can be hired by contacting Peter Garland on 07933-287316.
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In last week’s TL, it was noted that the Germans, during the Great War, contravened the Geneva Convention. Tony Nutkin’s kindly pointed out that; ‘One point I noticed, Germany did not contravene the Geneva convention in WWI as they had not signed the convention and so could not do so, although in other combatant’s opinions they may have appeared to do. The first Geneva Convention was adopted in 1864, but Germany did not become a signatory to the Convention until after WW1.
The 1929 convention was signed by Germany in Geneva on July 27, 1929, and entered into force in 1931. This had a large section on the treatment of POW's.
They certainly excelled themselves in contravening that in WWII as well as committing all sorts of frightfulness on civilian populations in countries they invaded as well as the POW's just as they had done in WWI. The treatment of their own citizens and those non-combatants from other countries whom they did not consider as human was a monstrosity beyond comprehension, and still beggars belief today.’
Thank you for your comments Tony. Every day is a learning day!
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Steve Baldwin and Neil Strange are continuing their good work over the summer with a number of new CWGC Cemetery tours in Lincoln, Leicester, Stamford etc. I am delighted to advertise these tours and I hope some TL readers will book to join the tours.
If you do go along, please take a snap or two and write me a short report.
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In last week’s TL ‘In Memoriam’ section, Alwyn Killingsworth spotted the name of Private Charles William Cross of the Lincolnshire Regiment who died and is buried in Scunthorpe cemetery.
Alwyn writes; ‘Another excellent edition of TL. Thank you for your continued efforts.
The name of Charles William Cross from the "In Memoriam" section caught my eye. A little further research shows he died from Tuberculosis after service overseas with the 10th battalion – The Grimsby Chums. Attached, please see his pension records. Also of interest is that he seems not to have his own headstone but is recorded on a plaque in Scunthorpe Cemetery.’
Thank you Alwyn for your kind words and observations. It is always of great interest to learn a little more about the men we report on each week.
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July is hopefully, weather wise, a great month for visiting the Western Front in both France and Belgium. Do you have a trip planned?
If you are in France and Belgium next month, you may be interested to attend one or more of the following CWGC burial ceremonies that are taking place next month.
The following services will be taking place in France and Belgium in July 2025:
8 July -
15:00 - A burial service for CQMS Charles Munro of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, KIA 21 October 1914, at Aubers Ridge British Cemetery, France.
9 July -
11:00 - A rededication service for Second Lieutenant John Taylor Macintyre of the Highland Light Infantry, KIA August 1917, at Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Vimy, France.
14:30 - A rededication service for Corporal Francis Flynn of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, KIA 9 April 1917, at Roclincourt Valley Cemetery, France.
15:30 - A rededication service for Serjeant Robert Sutherland of the Seaforth Highlanders, KIA 9 April 1917, at Highland Cemetery, Roclincourt, France.
10 July -
11:00 - A rededication service for Private John Lamond of the Cameronians, KIA 14/15 October 1918, at Dadizeele New British Cemetery, Belgium.
15 July -
15:30 - A rededication service for Lance Corporal Charles Madgwick of 4th Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, KIA 24 March 1918, at Lebucquiere Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
16 July -
10:30 - A burial service for Corporal Alfred James Morrant, Private Henry Joseph Rycraft and 2 unknown soldiers, all of 11th Battalion The Essex Regiment, Private Albert Arthur Grayston and Private Lewis Ephraim Lambert of 8th Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, and 2 unknown soldiers of unknown regiments, all killed in April 1917, at Loos British Cemetery Extension, France.
If you are in attendance, please let me have a short report and a couple of photos. Thank you.
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On Friday 20th June there was an excellent turnout of 16 Pals at Saltfleetby National Nature Reserve for our guided walk and talk, ably hosted by Chris Sanderson and the Reserve manager, Delphine. We met at the Rimac carpark which was adjacent to the Great War Rimac Camp location.
This section of the North Lincolnshire coastline was initially guarded against invasion by detachments of Boy Scouts in the summer of 1914 before newly mobilised Territorial Force troops became available.
During 1916 and into 1918, third-line battalions of the Lincolnshire and Sherwood Foresters regiments were stationed here.
The 3rd/7th battalion of the Sherwood Foresters (Robin Hoods) were billeted between Louth and the coast with many of the men in huts at the Rimac camp and at South Somecotes. The history of the 3rd/7th battalion states; ‘………that the battalion moved to Rimac Camp near Saltfleet, and exchanged stations with the 3rd/4th Lincolnshire Regiment.
Rimac Camp is probably one of the most depressing spots in England, though the training ground was almost ideal, the water supply was bad and the huts in a very bad state, and being two miles from a village and ten miles from a town, it was – to the least of it – a dull place in which to spend the winter.’
We can therefore deduce, that it was not a sought after posting! Although new recruits were expected to be sufficiently trained in just 12 weeks before being drafted from the third-line battalions to the first and second-line battalions in France – the 1st/7th Robin Hoods in 46th Division and the 2nd/7th Robin Hoods in 59th Division, were amalgamated in January 1918 to form one composite battalion, given the manpower shortage following the fighting in 1917 at Arras, Ypres and Cambrai.
The 3rd/7th Robin Hoods was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel G A Wigley, OBE, and his battalion staff were primarily officers of the 1st/7th and 2nd/7th battalions who had been grievously wounded either on the Western Front or in Dublin and whilst recovered, were not sufficiently fit for overseas service.
In my collection of Robin Hoods memorabilia I have two superb photos of Wigley and his staff and the 3rd/7th Battalion Signals Section. I have reproduced them for you below. The Signal Section photo is of great interest, as many of the men are old sweats sporting Long Service and Good Conduct Stripes and several have at least two wound stripes – they would now be employed as instructors, and to the right of the photo, you can see a sand bank, which after my visit to Rimac last week suggests that this photograph may have been taken at Rimac Camp? What do you think?
Lt. Col. Wigley is sitting with his battalion officers in the centre of the middle row with brassard on his left arm.
The Signals section of the 3rd/7th Robin Hoods. Photo could have been taken at Rimac Camp?
Anyway, back to our visit. Chris and Delphine took us on a good tramp across the Rimac Camp site where we had the opportunity to view the remnants of what had been WWI defensive pillboxes to guard against a possible invasion.
Interestingly, the 3rd/7th Robin Hoods history states; ‘Extensive and costly coast defences were constructed by the Engineers, and a scheme for the manning of the same in case of necessity was got out and practiced by day and night.’
I think that this proves conclusively that there were concrete pill boxes constructed during 1914-18 on the Lincolnshire coast. There have been comments that they are ‘all from the second war’ but with first-hand accounts like the one above and our host, Chris Sanderson’s post card of very similar pillboxes at Chapel St Leonards from 1928/29, I am happy that there are the remains of WWI pillboxes to visit.
WWI pill box at Rimac Camp.
The walk, after some three hours, concluded with a talk by Chris about the life and death of a soldier who served in the King’s Liverpool Regiment and who was killed in action on 26th September 1917 just south of the Menin Road. Using postcards and letters home to his family, Chris walked us through his last action on a section of Lincolnshire that, with a little imagination, resembles the terrain to be found in Belgium.
Taking to the cars once more, we drove to Saltfleet to visit another WWI era pillbox and WWII tank obstacles, before retiring to the New Inn at Saltfleet village for a pub lunch. The New Inn had been the regular watering hole for the men of the 3rd/4th Lincolns during their time in the area.
Mike Credland then led a short walk to the heart of the village to view the Freshney memorial. Trooper Frederick Freshney from Saltfleet, had been seriously wounded at Colenso in the 1st Boer War in 1899. He lived to return to the UK and his home village and struggled on before succumbing to his wounds in 1906.
Frederick Freshney was held in such high regard by the villagers that they raised the funds by public subscription to erect a horse watering station and pump as a fitting memorial to him which recognised not only the man, but his great love and knowledge of horses.
The Frederick Freshney memorial at Saltfleet.
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Are you enjoying the lovely spell of warm weather? I certainly am and I am sure many TL readers are, like Paul Berry, Chairman of Spalding WFA, using the weather to good effect by getting away for a few days.
Paul has been in North Wales, and kindly sent these photos of the war memorial in Bala. Paul commented; ‘Whilst the memorial is of a fairly standard design, I believe that the inclusion of the home street of the town’s war dead is most unusual?’
I agree Paul, I do not think that I have ever seen the home address of each man listed on a war memorial before. Thank you for sharing this find with us.
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My research often takes me off at tangents and in the last couple of weeks, I have come across two very interesting photographs, one of which has been colourised.
As regular Trench Lincs readers will know by now, my grandfather lost his right eye in 1915 aged just 18. Although he lived a long and happy life until 1979, he suffered with his damaged eye socket all of his life and towards the end of his life, his ‘good’ eye started to fail until he was eventually registered as blind.
St. Dunstan’s, the blind servicemen’s charity, helped my grandfather immensely in his latter years by providing him with a braille watch and equipping him with a large eight-track cassette machine and weekly cassettes so as he could listen to the week’s news etc.
Today, St. Dunstan’s is known as Blind Veterans UK, why they had to change the name I do not know? However, this photograph caught my eye.
The photo was captioned as follows – ‘The little girl in this photograph is Ruby Crane. From the young age of 3 years old, she spent her days at St Dunstan’s Rehabilitation Centre in Brighton, Sussex—helping blinded soldiers returning from World War I.
Ruby’s father was the head gardener, and as she wandered the grounds, she would take the soldiers by the hand and guide them to their workshops, asking where they wanted to go. She knew they couldn’t see and just wanted to help.
Her kindness deeply moved those around her. People sent dolls and toys to thank her for the support she gave to the men and women who had lost their sight. Ruby was so beloved that she was featured on the front page of St Dunstan’s first Annual Report (1915/1916), and later, Flag Day emblems were designed in her honour.
Years later, Ruby recalled:
"I always remember how my little hand seemed so small in their big hands… They were so pleased to have a child come and talk to them. It was something different—away from the monotonous grind of not being able to see things, I think."
Given my grandfather’s past connection to St. Dunstan’s, I just had to share it with you.
The second photograph, caught my eye as I obviously recognised the boys in small British uniforms and wondered who they were. The answer harks back in British history to the end of the 17th Century as the two boys are directly related to James II of England (James VII) of Scotland who ruled after Charles II from 1685-88.
The caption reads – ‘Portrait of the Duchess of Santoña, Eugenia María Fitz-James Stuart y Falcó, with her two sons, Carlos Alfonso (right) and Jaime (left), dressed in replicas of British military uniforms. The photograph was taken in Madrid in 1915.
Eugenia was a Spanish aristocrat from the House of Fitz-James Stuart, a noble family of Scottish origin. The lineage was established by James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick, the illegitimate son of King James VII of Scotland (James II of England).’
When you disappear off at tangent like the one above, and it still relates to the Great War, you can see why we all have such a great love of the subject.
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This week’s contribution from Colour by CJS is an Australian ranker who became the only man to win the Military Medal four times.
Corporal Ernest Albert Corey, MM & Three Bars.
Ernest was born in 1891 in Numeralla, New South Wales, Australia, part of a large family, he had seven siblings.
On leaving schooling and before the war he worked for a Blacksmith and duly enlisted in January 1916
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After a period of training in England he was posted to France in February 1917 where he served with 55th Battalion Australian Imperial Force.
Originally part of a grenade section he answered the call for volunteers to become stretcher bearers in May 1917.
His unit fought many actions during 1917 and 1918 and he repeatedly demonstrated extraordinary bravery treating and recovering wounded men from the battlefield.
Lieutenant Colonel Woods described Corey as a “splendid soldier whose temper remained unruffled even in most adverse circumstances. While out on the battlefield he invariably wore a pair of white shorts and carried his stretcher perpendicularly, but seldom made use of it, preferring to pick up his patients under one of his strong arms, and walk back with him. He had an undaunted spirit, and worked almost up to the enemy wire, rescuing wounded – foe as well as friend.”
His actions were recognised by the award of the Military Medal and three bars. Corey was the only man to be awarded the Military Medal four times!
He was severely wounded by a shell burst near Bellicourt on 30th September 1918 and whilst bleeding heavily he managed to crawl 300 metres and was eventually picked up and taken to a casualty clearing station.
He recovered but was no longer fit for active service and was eventually repatriated to Australia in April 1919, where like many veterans, he faced hardship and had various jobs after the war including as a contract rabbiter, camp caretaker and office cleaner.
Undaunted, he married, raised a daughter and served again during the Second World War.
Ernest Corey MM*** died in 1972 and was buried with full military honours.
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As mentioned at the top of this week’s TL, my good friend, Arthur Wood has been touring once again on the Somme battlefields.
Whilst away, Arthur came across an unusual VC winner in Richard Charles Travis. Travis was born and named as Dickson Cornelius Savage on 6th April 1884 in Otara, New Zealand.
Richard Travis had already been awarded a DCM and a MM when on the 24th July 1918 he won a Victoria Cross. His citation read;
TRAVIS, Richard Charles (born SAVAGE, Dickson Cornelius) Sergeant, 2nd Battalion Otago Infantry Regiment, New Zealand Expeditionary Force. 24th July 1918 – At Rossignol Wood he crawled out alone and bombed an impassable wire block, enabling attacking parties to pass through. Minutes later he charged alone at two enemy machine guns, killing the crews and capturing the guns. He then killed a German officer and three men who rushed him in an attempt to take the position.
Sadly, Richard Travis was killed in action the very next day as he went from post to post encouraging his men. Today Travis lies in Couin New British Cemetery, France.
Arthur kindly sent me this photograph of his headstone.
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On Saturday 21st June, I attended with my wife, part two of the recent wedding that we had been to in Portugal. The bride and groom, Alex and Abigail, held a short service at Winthorpe parish church near Newark for close family and friends and for elderly relatives who had been unable to travel to Portugal.
Winthorpe today, thanks to the A1, is a ‘no through’ village and therefore, somewhat off the beaten track. You need a reason to visit Winthorpe and that has usually been for me, to visit the pub, the Lord Nelson.
It was my first visit to the parish church, and the first thing that struck me was that in church terms, it was relatively new, being constructed of red brick and very obviously from the Victorian era. Indeed, the church of All Saints was consecrated in 1888 after the original village church was severely damaged by Cromwell’s troops during the siege of Newark in the English Civil War.
When the Victorian church was built, 100’s of Civil War era bodies were discovered buried without coffins in rows on the site where the church now stands.
Arriving early for the service, I immediately looked for a war memorial in the churchyard, but there was not one to be seen. I entered the church, and after a word with one of the church wardens, she took me to view a plaque on the wall commemorating the lives of two villagers who died in WWI.
The churchwarden explained that the parish covers the village of Winthorpe and the hamlets of Holme and Langford. Neither of the hamlets have a war memorial, and recent research has uncovered additional men from this parish who died in the Great War. Currently, a new war memorial plaque is under construction, which will contain the additional names, and is expected to be unveiled later this year.
On my return home, I did a quick look up to see what I could find out about Arthur Dean and Arthur Richmond.
I was not surprised to find that both men served with the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby) Regiment. Arthur Dean served with the 1st/8th battalion of the Territorial Force which recruited in the Newark, Mansfield, Worksop area but to my great delight, I discovered that Arthur Richmond had been a Robin Hood.
Arthur Richmond served with the 1st/7th Battalion (Robin Hoods) and was killed at Gommecourt on 1st July 1916 which had been the subject of my talk at Leadenham Military History Club last Tuesday evening. Arthur Richmond’s body was never identified, and today he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing on the Somme.
After the church service, the party retired to the Lord Nelson for a beer or three and there I started a conversation with the Rector, Alan Keeler.
We soon connected and within about ten minutes we had discussed war memorials and post-war memorialisation as this is a topic dear to Alan too.
I am pleased to say that Alan is now a TL subscriber and he kindly dropped me a line with the following words. ‘It was very good to chat with you after Alex and Abi's wedding on Saturday, and I would be very interested to receive information from you about your research into war memorials.
I mentioned an unusual one I was briefly involved with when I was a vicar in the London Borough of Bexley. There is information here:
The event happened after the war but was a consequence of it. [Please click on the links – Ed]
Another aspect of memorialisation that had always touched me is this scene from the1939 film Goodbye Mr Chips:
It is not just announcing the names of the fallen at the school, it is about the circumstances and the inclusion of a German name. The whole film builds to this part of the drama.’
I think that I have watched all three cinema versions of Goodbye Mr Chips over the years, but this scene from the black and white 1939 version, certainly moves the heart. It portrays the moment when ‘Mr Chips’ reads out to the boys the fact that a most popular German master at the school has been reported as having been killed whilst fighting with the German army.
This dilemma raises more questions than it answers. Should we mourn the enemy? Should we memorialise and honour the enemy? The question of whose name should appear on a war memorial was debated up and down the country during the 1920s and often caused division within the community.
Julian Fellowes touched upon the subject in his hit tv series, Downton Abbey. I suspect many of you will remember the episode when Matthew Crawley, heir to Lord Grantham, returns from the war paralysed.
The cook, below stairs, Mrs Patmore, has to live with the knowledge that her son has been ‘shot at dawn’ and a great debate ensues as to whether his name should appear on the memorial that is planned for the village. Of course, being a tv series, all’s well that ends well, but the subject is well portrayed.
You may also recall that Downton Abbey also touched on the somewhat tricky subject of the Self Inflicted Wound. Mr Barrow, the head footman at the Abbey, could not take the stress of life in the trenches and received a wound through the hand in dubious circumstances.
Hats off to the writers who covered these subjects that still resonate with us today.
Finally, for this week, whilst on the subject of weddings, my step-son Matthew tied the knot with his bride Ruby last Thursday. The sun shone and all present had an excellent day with plenty of partying until the early hours of Friday.
I am sure you will join me in wishing them both a long and happy marriage.
IN MEMORIAM - The Lincolnshire Regiment 29th June
1915
17002 Private E Snape, 2nd Battalion. Buried in Sailly Sur La Lys Candian Cemetery, France.
1916
Captain Wallace Allan, 1st Garrison Battalion, aged 52. Buried in Suez War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt.
Lieutenant Wilfred Dent Wroe 10th Battalion, aged 32. Buried in Becourt Military Cemetery, Somme, France.
Lt. Wilfred Wroe - A Grimsby Chum.
1917
240643 Private D Brown, 5th Battalion. Buried in Loos British Cemetery, France.
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.
There is a substantial obituary available here for Lt. Wilfred Dent Wroe. (1916 above)
I hope you all have a lovely week as we move into July and I shall be in touch again next Sunday, but not until lunchtime, as my wife and I are away overnight at a party next Saturday.
Until next week
All best wishes
Jonathan
© Jonathan D’Hooghe
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