Trench Lincs 31st August 2025
- trenchlincs
- 4 hours ago
- 18 min read
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Good Morning,
It is Sunday again and August is now over. Sadly, my son and his family leave for Australia later this week and without wishing my life away, I have started planning my next trip to Australia, which I hope will be in early 2027.
Whilst being very busy with Robert and his boys, I of course, found time and had the great pleasure of seeing our very special Belgian friends Nadine and Philip as they passed through Lincolnshire on their way north for a holiday in Orkney and Scotland.
We had a short tour of historic sights (and sites) in Newark, visited Southwell Minster and the town’s war memorial park, but highlight of the day, was taking them to Laxton and the National Holocaust Memorial visitor centre.
It is about 18 months since I last visited and was surprised to see how much work had taken place, and whilst the centre is fully open, the contractors are still on site and work continues.
Entrance (for oldies like me!) is £9 and is valid for multiple visits over the next 12 months. The centre not only details the harrowing events of the Holocaust during World War II, but highlights historic and ongoing anti-semitism in all of its forms. With a good café on site, I can thoroughly recommend a visit.
Philip and Nadine at Laxton's National Holocaust Centre.
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS.
Next Lecture - Lincoln Branch Western Front Association - Monday, September 15th - 7.00pm for 7.30pm start - Royal Naval Association Club, Coulson Road, Lincoln, LN6 7BG
Tim Coltman will present "The Story of the Two Crosses: William Coltman VC, DCM & Bar, MM & Bar". The presentation traces the life and times of this highly decorated soldier who was Tim's Great Grandad. William went to war in World War 1 but, because of his strong Christian faith (he was a member of the Plymouth Brethren), refused to carry a weapon and fight, instead volunteering in January 1915 to serve as a stretcher bearer in the 1/6th Battalion, The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's). The presentation follows his life from where he was brought up, through his service in the British Army and the events that earned him his decorations, to his funeral in 1974, and the subsequent events that have taken place in recognition of his achievements. William was born on 17th November, 1891, and died on 29th June, 1974. He is now described as the highest decorated non-commissioned soldier of the British Army in World War 1.
We are not going to spoil Tim's presentation by going into the details of how William earned his decorations save to say that he did, indeed, go far beyond what was expected of him in order to save the lives of his comrades in arms. We are sure that, when you hear his story from Tim, you will be left beyond any doubt that he deserved the recognition he was given.
Tim Coltman hails from Burton on Trent where he has lived all of his life. Married with 2 grown up children, he worked in agriculture for 30 years before leaving employment in 2024 to concentrate full time on giving this presentation all over the UK, together with a number of other activities. He has been delivering it for 11 years now to World War 1 groups, U3A, Probus, Rotary, and many more history and social groups.
His presentation comes highly recommended by other WFA branches, and, if you miss it at Lincoln, he will be giving it to the Spalding Branch on November 27th.
3FD88E25-FBA0-4903-90BF-463F79AA97C8.mp4 - Google Drive
Click on the link above for a 55 second trailer for this talk.
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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.
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.
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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.
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The Leadenham Military History Group’s next meeting will be on Tuesday 23rd September, at Leadenham Village Hall with a start time of 7.30pm. The evening will consist of two elements.
Show and Tell – ‘RAF Balloon Command’ – A selection of items from a recently unearthed treasure trove – by Tim Willbond.
Presentation – ‘The Deadly Canary’ – Resistance in Denmark 1940-45 – by Tim Sisson.
As a German Protectorate, Denmark had a particular status. This talk will look at a different approach to underground resistance.
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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.
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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 18th September when Bill Carrie will speak about ‘Civil Aircraft – Keep ‘em Flying’
Please arrive 7pm for a 7.30pm start.
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Both Matt Colley and Peter Garland have made me aware of this forthcoming event in Peterborough. I will advertise again nearer to October and I will certainly pay a visit.
Peterborough Great War Exhibition - 25th October to 27th November 2025 - Peterborough Museum & Art Gallery, Priestgate, Peterborough, PE1 1LF.
Peterborough Museum's Community Gallery will present an Exhibition dedicated to the memory of a special group of men who fought bravely and survived The Great War, 1914-1918. On this, the Centenary of the formation of "The Old Contemptibles' Association" we will remember them. The exhibition will run from Saturday, 25th October to Thursday, 27th November, 2025.
Almost 250 of these men were members of the Peterborough Branch of the Old Contemptibles' Association and met regularly at local venues. They came from both the city itself, and surrounding villages. The Exhibition, organised by the Cambridgeshire Branch of the Western Front Association, will reveal the fascinating story of the full lives of some of these men, including where they were born, their military service, working lives, families and homes. Discover how the group earned the curious nickname "Old Contemptibles", find out about the "Old Contemptibles Association" they belonged to, and the royal recognition the Association received.
The Exhibition is the result of the research into the Peterborough Old Contemptibles' Association by the Cambridgeshire Branch of the WFA's OCA Research Group. The Exhibition will also host two very special lectures, which will be held, at 11.00am, in the Howe Room at Peterborough Museum.
The first takes place on Saturday, 25th October, when Andrew Thornton will deliver a talk on "The Old Contemptibles' Association". The second will take place on Saturday, 1st November when Taff Gillingham will present a talk on the "British Expeditionary Force Battles in 1914". Tickets for the talks cost £5.00 and must be purchased online from the Museums website. At the time of writing there are less than 50 tickets remaining.
https://peterborough-museum.arttickets.org.uk/peterborough-museum/the-old-contemptibles-association-and-its-history-6825b3433558f for Andrew Thorntons' talk.
https://peterborough-museum.arttickets.org.uk/peterborough-museum/british-expeditionary-force-battles-in-1914-682331be0a626 for Taff Gillinghams' talk.
Important Notice:
Anyone living within reasonable travelling distance from Lincoln is reminded that Andrew Thornton is presenting his "The Old Contemptibles' Association" talk to the Friends of Lincoln Tank meeting on Thursday, September 4th 2025, at the Royal Naval Association Club on Coulson Road, Lincoln, LN6 7BG. Doors open 7.00pm for 7.30pm start. Tickets priced at £5.00 each, available on the door.
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Mike Credland has kindly tipped us off about a forthcoming book of Lincolnshire interest, he comments; 'G'Day Jonathan trust you and all the family are well? [We are thank you - Ed]
Received the attached from Dave Harrigan regarding his friend's forthcoming book which looks really good.
Perhaps you will be so kind as to give it a mention it TL.'
Valour, The Victoria Cross and The Lincolnshire Regiment Ten Men, Ten
Stories, One Regiment Publishing in October 2025, on Lincolnshire Day, this
landmark book tells the true stories of the ten Victoria Crosses awarded to
men of the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment and its predecessors.
Spanning almost a century of conflict, from the Indian Mutiny of 1857 to the
final days of the Second World War in 1944, it reveals moments of
extraordinary courage in the face of brutal and unforgiving battles.
With a foreword by Lord Ashcroft and meticulously researched by author Matt
Limb, the book pays tribute to the men behind Britain's highest award for
gallantry, in the face of the enemy. It is more than history, it is an
intimate portrait of bravery, sacrifice and the regimental spirit that bound
them together.
Deeply moving, this book is both a tribute and a legacy, bringing the
stories of these ten remarkable men to a new generation of readers.
Pre-publishing copies will be available from mid-September. Register now for
your copy.
The link you need is - https://mlbft.co.uk/books
Sounds like we all need to write to Santa this year!!
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Bill Pinfold starts proceedings this week with news from his recent holiday in Norfolk. Bill comments; ‘Thank you for another very interesting TL today - and good to see your family gathered together with you, that must have been fun. I was actually not so far away from you for the past week as my wife, son and I were in Sheringham on the North Norfolk Coast. Quite a few items seen in the "Poppylands" area caught my attention that may well be of interest to you and others.
Edith Cavell has been mentioned several times in recent TL issues and I found a new reference to her at the Wells & Walsingham Light Railway. When they needed to add another steam locomotive to their roster in 2010 they had a small Garratt style engine built and she is named "Norfolk Heroine" to honour Nurse Cavell.
Back at Wells Station at the end of our round-trip I was very pleased to bump into Emrys Jones, chair of the WFA Cambridgeshire branch, who had also been on the train along with his wife. We chatted to the Wells station/operations manager about how some of the rails that they utilised in the early years of the line had been used in WW1 in the Somme by the War^Department light rail companies.
After the War the W^D returned the rail to locations in Wales and it was from there that the founder of the W&WLR, Lieutenant-Commander Roy Wallace Francis (1922 - 2015), bought the materials. The manager kindly gave Emrys and I each a small section of the Somme rails that he had in his workshop, much to our delight. The Wells & Walsingham railway is a super place to visit and I heartily recommend it - see https://www.wwlr.co.uk/
Another courageous woman recognised in North Norfolk for her deeds is the WAAF Ivy Cross, who was based at RAF Langham in WWII. As her BEM citation shows she was fast to respond when aircraft crashed near to the base and undoubtedly saved many aircrew lives.
Ivy Cross BEM
I found RAF Langham only by chance as we were driving along the lanes back to Sheringham one afternoon. Suddenly in front of us was a silver Spitfire gleaming in the sun, mounted on a guardian post next to a concrete dome. I pulled in to find out what the place was and learned a great deal at the small museum (https://langhamdome.org/) which tells how the airfield was one of many equipped in WWII to train troops in the art of anti-aircraft gunnery. Brilliant volunteers were on hand to explain how the domes were equipped and this is another venue well worth seeking out.
Back to WWI and I was interested to see mention of Lt. Arthur George Coke (pronounced Cook) on the memorial at Holkham. The monument is slightly hidden off to the side of the approach road to Holkham Hall and can be easily missed. Lt. Coke was the son of the 3rd Earl of Leicester, Thomas Coke, who lived at Holkham Hall. Whilst Arthur Coke is remembered at other memorials (Helles, Gallipoli and Flaunden, Herts), the Holkham one correctly notes his date of death as the 2nd May whereas other records wrongly put it as the 21st. Coke and his unit from the RN Armoured Car Division manned the machine guns on the SS River Clyde to cover the original landing on V Beach on the 25th April 1915.
Coke died a few days later in action repelling a Turkish counterattack, as described in the report at this link https://www.facebook.com/100068154693976/posts/chief-petty-officer-mechanic-george-gilbert-royal-naval-armoured-car-division-re/1003389231942891/ . A little ironically, Lt. Coke did not get to operate the armoured cars for which his unit had trained because they were not landed at Helles until later in May 1915.
The memorial at Holkham Estate, Norfolk.
The name Coke was of particular interest because, in many years of visiting Sheringham, I had never previously stopped to see the shell museum that displays the handiwork of the late actor Peter Coke, who portrayed Paul Temple so vividly on BBC radio (catch old episodes on the I-Player). Peter Coke was a distant relation to the Cokes at Holkham. His shells were of the peaceful, natural kind and the delicate creations of flowers and buildings that he made are a marvellous contrast to the explosive shells dropped by the Germans on Norfolk in the Wars. His collection is housed in an old building that is part of the museum of the Henry Ramey Upcher Lifeboat, and there we also saw a memorial to a member of the Upcher family, which provided several of the fishermen's volunteer lifeboats at Sheringham for almost a century. https://sheringhamsociety.com/the-fishermens-lifeboat
Lt. Sidney Wodehouse Upcher RN died on the 9th July 1917 when HMS Vanguard blew up at Scapa Flow, the largest loss of life from an accidental explosion in UK history.
In our holiday week that included beach time and visits to some remarkable gardens, we also managed to fit in a viewing of one of the WWI pillboxes that have just been given preservation orders near the Broads (https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/latest-news/2025/july-2025/wwi-pillboxes-in-norfolk-granted-grade-ii-listed-status/) and we were also at the Cromer service to mark VJ Day.
That was well attended at the war memorial on the High Street and I noticed there were many locals in the crowd representative of the Allied nationalities who fought, including Sikh, Indian, Malay, Thai and Australian, which made the event even more special.
WWI pill box, now listed.
VJ Day at Cromer.
Lastly, we visited the Shire Horse Sanctuary at West Runton where it was pleasing to find that they have a preserved original General Service Wagon MKII that was probably used in WW1 by the ASC.
The museum claims this is one of only four known to still exist in the UK - if so then I think that means specifically the MKII, which ceased development circa 1905, as I believe there are several MKVIII and MKX wagons in other locations.’
Thank you very much Bill. You did have a fascinating and interesting holiday.
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August is a good holiday month and Felicity Sayers has been further south and reports in from West Sussex. She notes; ‘I visited beautiful Bosham this past week and the photos I took show the WWI memorial plaque inside the church, followed by a photo of comrades who came home, and then built the war memorial, with the last photo showing the unveiling in 1923 of the memorial.
I like to think building the memorial was not a chore for the survivors, but a way of healing which gave them a sense of purpose and a chance to honour those, who were probably friends or even family, who did not make it back, as well as put life back in balance for them, by creating something rather than remembering the destruction and desolation witnessed during the war years. Maybe other memorials were built by returning soldiers?
Bosham of course, is also notable for King Kanute [Cnut –Ed] and Harold, of the arrow in the eye fame.’
Felicity makes a very good point about surviving veterans erecting the village memorial to remember their dead comrades. It is my experience, that this was often not the case.
The post-Great War memorialisation process in many communities was monopolised most often by the community/town/city civic leaders and upper classes, many of whom had been too old to fight, and in many cases, the surviving veterans and the working classes, more generally, were excluded from the memorialisation process.
Therefore, Bosham is a refreshing exception to the usual narrative.
From Felicity’s photograph, I picked out a couple of chaps with unusual surnames to see if I could find out who they were.
I thought that Harry GRENDER would be a good place to start, and with Bosham being in Sussex, I quickly found a Medal Index Card for Ernest H Grender – ah! I thought, Ernest H, known as Harry, served with the Royal Sussex Regiment – so far so good. But on further reading the card’s detail, I found that Ernest H Grender had been killed in action in November 1914.
I therefore searched by surname only, and with Harry being a derivative of Henry, I found that there were three Henry Grenders who had served – in the London regiment, the ASC and the RAMC.
Not having the time immediately to delve further, I moved onto George and Jim (James) EDE.
Remarkably, although I shouldn’t be surprised, there were eighteen George Ede’s with MIC’s. Two of whom had served in the Royal Sussex regiment.
One of the George Ede’s was an original Old Contemptible who arrived with the 2nd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment in France on 12th August 1914, as did Ernest H Grender, mentioned above – therefore, I would surmise that this chap is the George Ede in the photograph who would have a very strong case for erecting the village memorial.
James Ede proved to be a problem as there were twelve listed, none of whom had served in the Royal Sussex regiment. I therefore moved on to Bob (Robert) Bireley, only to find that the Bireley surname does not exist in the array of Medal Index Cards!
Widening the search, I got a hit from the 1919 RAF Rolls and a J Bireley in the 1941 Lancashire Home Guard. On looking further, both of these proved to be spelling/digitisation errors. Even the 1911 and 1921 Census returns proved to be unhelpful, so I will leave it to others at this stage to look further.
Sometimes, you can try to be too clever and end up being just baffled unless you have a couple of hours to devote to the search!
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Peter Garland paid a visit to the Dukeries of north Nottinghamshire and reports for us; ‘I went on one of the infrequent tours of Welbeck Abbey Staterooms on Tuesday. The tour has to be booked in advance at a cost of £30 but is worth it. Highly recommended. Keep an eye on the Harley Foundations website for future dates.
Of interest, in late 1913, just a few months before he was assassinated in Sarajevo, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie accepted a social invitation from the 6th Duke of Portland to stay at Welbeck Abbey, arriving by train at Worksop station on the 22nd November. During his stay, Franz Ferdinand narrowly escaped death (or serious injury) when, whilst attending a shooting party on the Estate, a loader fell and caused a shotgun to go off within feet of the Archduke and his host, the 6th Duke.
His autograph is in the guestbook displayed in the Abbey entrance hall. I asked to see it. The guides and security guard said "NO, it's not allowed". Furthermore, in the now disused and highly ornate Abbey chapel (now only used for annual carol services) is a bronze memorial tablet to the men employed by the Welbeck Estates who lost their lives in the Great War, including a large number who served in the Sherwood Foresters. I asked if I could take a photo of it. The guides and security guard said "NO, it's not allowed". Rather petty I thought, but, they made it clear the rule is "no photography or filming of any room or item inside the staterooms", and only the curators are allowed to touch objects on display, and there wasn't one available at the time to open the book. Never mind. Such is life.
However, I did find a photograph of the memorial on-line and here it is.’
Thank you Peter for this excellent piece of Great War history, and with a local flavour. As an aside, for those of you who do not know, His Grace, the 6th Duke of Portland was the Honorary Colonel of the 7th Battalion (Robin Hoods) Sherwood Foresters and President of the Nottinghamshire Territorial Force Association.
Like his near neighbour, the Duke of Devonshire, both great estates raised their own battalions for Kitchener’s New Army. The 16th Battalion Sherwood Foresters were titled The Chatsworth Rifles and the 17th Battalion Sherwood Foresters were the Welbeck Rangers.
Both battalions served with distinction in 117th Brigade of 39th Division, arriving in France in March 1916. They fought side by side on the Somme and at Passchendaele until being disbanded in the reorganisation of the BEF from four battalions in a brigade down to three battalions in early 1918.
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John Pritchard writes in regularly to TL, and this week is no exception. John writes; ‘Visiting Hubbard's Hills and Louth recently, where due to a diversion on the outskirts of Horncastle, I found myself slightly lost in the village of Hemingby, so parking up opposite the church and village "Bateman's" pub - I found St. Margaret's Church open and wandered inside to find a brass wall plaque memorial with flags.
There was a metal marker placed outside next to a "centenary memorial tree" which I thought was interesting, but, wandering around the churchyard I found a family gravestone; Edward Johnson Griffin, died 25/12/1917, and below the inscription to his son; JOHN EDWARD GRIFFIN. Killed in France 30/11/1917 aged 30 years.’
Hemingby.
John’s discovery suggests that John Edward’s father died of a broken heart just a month after the death of his son.
The CWGC records show that 13227 Private John Edward Griffin, 5th Battalion, Northants Regiment was killed in action at Cambrai on 30th November 1917. His body was not identified and he is remembered on the Cambrai Memorial at Louveral.
His father, (the CWGC have him as J E not E J) enlisted in September 1914 even though he was then aged 51. I assume he did not serve overseas.
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Returned now from Australia where he was following the British Lions rugby XV, Marcus Dunbar is in France, and I hope he will pen a report for us from Oradour sur Glane, the village destroyed by the SS in 1944 and left as a memorial to the citizens massacred there.
Until we hear from him once again, here are Marcus’ photos from Lussac Le Chateau. A very impressive memorial.
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As I mentioned at the top of this TL, I visited Southwell in Nottinghamshire with Nadine and Philip last week. Southwell was a town that opted to erect a visual memorial on the Burgage….
….and also provide a functional memorial for the townsfolk in the shape of a War Memorial Park, together with an impressive stone gateway. Like the Minster, the park is well worth a visit.
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With my son and his family having gone to stay with one of his sisters for a few days, I have had a little more time available to me this week, therefore, I am pleased to be able to return to another colourised photograph from CJS, and once again a VC winner.
Corporal Alfred George Drake VC.
Alfred was from Stepney in the East End of London, where he had three sisters, and their father was a rope maker and labourer.
Before the war, Alfred worked as a messenger boy for the Port of London Authority, but with many others, he enlisted on 3rd September 1914.
He was deployed to France in May 1915 where he served in 8th Battalion, The Rifle Brigade.
He was awarded the Victoria Cross for a magnificent act of gallantry which cost him his life.
The citation read:
“For most conspicuous bravery on the night of 23rd November, 1915, near La Brique, France**. He was one of a patrol of four which was reconnoitring towards the German lines. The patrol was discovered when close to the enemy, who opened heavy fire with rifles and a machine gun, wounding the Officer and one man. The latter was carried back by the last remaining man. Corporal Drake remained with his Officer and was last seen kneeling beside him and bandaging his wounds regardless of the enemy’s fire. Later, a rescue party crawling near the German lines found the Officer and Corporal, the former unconscious but alive and bandaged, Corporal Drake beside him dead and riddled with bullets. He had given his own life and saved his Officer”.
The medal was presented to his father by King George V at Buckingham Palace on 16th November 1916.
He was buried close to Ypres in La Brique Military Cemetery No.2.
Alfred Drake was 22 years old.
Postscript
The officer that Alfred was helping was Lieutenant Henry Tryon, also of the Rifle Brigade. He recovered from his wounds but was later killed in the Battle of the Somme.
**The citation wrongly states that the action took place in France instead of Belgium.
Alfred Drake VC.
IN MEMORIAM - The Lincolnshire Regiment 31st August.
1915
Second Lieutenant Leonard Stone, 5th Battalion. Buried in Cleethorpes Cemetery, UK.
1916
Second Lieutenant John Henry Harrison 11th Battalion, attached to 7th Battalion, aged 25. Buried in St. Amand British Cemetery, France.
1917
Seven men are recorded as having died on this day, including Second Lieutenant Victor Montague Donaldson-Selby, 3rd Battalion, aged 41. Buried in Kensall Green Cemetery, UK.
1918
Another seven men are recorded as having died on this day in 1918.
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.
I hope you all have a very fruitful week.
Until next week
All best wishes
Jonathan
© Jonathan D’Hooghe
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