Trench Lincs 5th July 2026

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Good Morning,

Can you believe that it is Sunday once again? As we commemorate the 110th anniversary of the opening of the Somme offensive this week, we will remember all of those brave men who were in action since the 1st July, and ask the question, was it worth it?

You will find a wide array of topics and articles this week which I hope you will all enjoy.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS.

Next Meeting - Lincoln & North Lincolnshire Branch, WFA - Monday, July 13th 2026 - Doors open 7.00pm for 7.30pm start - Royal Naval Association Club, Coulson Road, Lincoln, LN6 7BG.

Annual General Meeting followed by The Chairman's Annual Lecture.

Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the Lincoln & North Lincolnshire Branch of the WFA will take place on Monday, July 13th at the Royal Naval Association Club, Coulson Road, Lincoln.

Official papers will be issued nearer the time but, in the meantime, should any person wish to submit an item or resolution for discussion under Any Other Business, or would like to stand for an Executive position on the Committee (you must be a WFA member to serve in an Executive capacity on the Committee), they should notify us in advance through Trench Lincs please.

FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF ANY DOUBT, THE ROLES OF TREASURER AND MINUTE SECRETARY ARE CURRENTLY HELD IN A NON-EXECUTIVE CAPACITY BY NON-MEMBERS OF THE WFA WHO CARRY OUT THEIR DUTIES TO ENSURE THE RUNNING OF THE BRANCH. FULLY PAID UP MEMBERS OF THE WFA ARE INVITED TO PUT THEIR NAMES FORWARD FOR THESE ROLES.

Following the AGM - which we promise will be despatched as quickly as possible - we will move on to The Chairman's Annual Lecture and, this year, Mike Credland will be taking us on a tour of Lincolnshire by presenting his newly revised, fully updated talk about The Great War Memorials of Lincolnshire.

To quote from the late Martin Middlebrook's foreword to Mike’s book, The First Word War Memorials of Lincolnshire (published in 2014 by The Society for Lincolnshire History and Archaeology) "In 1914, Lincolnshire was the second largest county in England. To appreciate its size, an inhabitant of Stamford in the south is as near to London as to the river Humber boundary in the north. How could anyone set out to photograph and describe every community war memorial in the county as a labour of love which was so diligently performed that it has been accepted for publication?

But, this is what Mike did, and not only did he turn his research into an excellent record of the county's First World War Memorials - all of them, from Alford to Wroot (bet you've never heard of that place have you?) - he also created a talk on the subject which has not been presented to anyone for some time now. So, this evening, attendees will have the pleasure of hearing the story of the Great War Memorials of Lincolnshire in its new, fully revised and updated form. Please come along; you will be made most welcome.

I am also suggesting a light hearted competition to be held at the AGM on 13th July in order, I hope, to boost attendance.

I was talking with Peter Garland about that fact that a café on Navenby High Street sells ANZAC biscuits and Peter noted that; ‘A little culinary special for Trench Lincs. At the April meeting of Spalding Branch WFA we were talking about ANZAC day and the part that special cookies play in the day's events.

Spalding supporter Gerald Taylor's wife, Sue, said she had the original recipe and would bake some for the May meeting. So, at the end of the meeting, ANZAC Day cookies were duly produced, and I can tell you they were delicious.

For you budding cooks out there, here is the recipe: You will need:

2 table-spoons Golden Syrup // 5 ounces butter // 4 ounces caster sugar // 4 ounces plain flour // 3 ounces rolled oats // 2 ounces desiccated coconut // 2 table-spoons bicarb of soda // 1 table-spoon hot water.

Method:

Place syrup, butter and sugar in a pan and melt until sugar is dissolved. Place flour, oats, coconut and bicarb into the melted mixture, add the water and mix well. When cool enough to handle, roll out into balls, and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 170 celsius, or gas mark 4, for approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown.’

This traditional Great War biscuit is a delight and was sent originally to the ANZAC troops in Gallipoli in 1915.

We now have tow cooks entering the competition. Do we have any more entrants?

I hope to hear from you!

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The next meeting of the Friends of the Lincoln Tank Group will be held on Thursday July 30th at the Royal Naval Association Club, Coulson Road, Lincoln, LN6 7BG at 7.30pm.

The speaker on this occasion is Steve Baldwin, whose innovative talk will be ‘A Virtual Tour Around the CWGC Plot at Newport Cemetery, Lincoln.’

"The talk will start with a quick overview of the creation and development of the cemetery itself and its CWGC section, moving on to talk about some of the graves it contains. Some of the “residents” will be mentioned in passing and some others will be covered in more detail. Both World Wars will be covered to some extent but it is impossible to cover everything in the time available. This journey will be one of History, ancient and modern, with a little bit of Geography thrown in."

Everyone welcome, especially new faces. You do not need to be a member of FoLT to attend meetings, but members of FoLT pay just £10 a year and receive £250 of membership benefits from Ancestry and the British Newspaper Archives. It is well worth joining.

The grave site of Amy Beechey at Newport Cemetery - see Colour by CJS below.

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Next Event - Spalding & South Lincs Branch, WFA Thursday 23rd July at 7.30pm.

Spalding & South Lincolnshire Branch WFA continues to meet at the Spalding Baptist Church, Swan Street, Spalding, PE11 1BT. Meetings continue to be held in the evenings of the fourth Thursday in the month, and doors open at 19.00 hours for a 19.30 hours start. Meetings are held in a pleasant main room of the Church and there is ample - unrestricted - on street parking in front of the building. Free refreshments are served at the end of the meeting. Finally, please note that, for security purposes the main double front doors are kept locked as we cannot monitor them from our meeting room, therefore, you may need to ring the doorbell located on the single door to the right of the main double doors in order to gain entry.

July 23rd - Grant Cullen presents: "Quintinshill, 22nd May 1915; Britain's worst railway disaster".

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The East Midlands (Nottingham) WFA branch will hold their next speaker event on Friday 10th July 2026 at 7.30pm. The branch meets at St. Peter’s Church Hall, Church Street, Ruddington, NG11 6HA and all visitors will be made very welcome.

The speaker on this night is Roy Lakin who will talk about ‘August 1914’.

Britain’s preparation for war and the arrival of the BEF at Mons on 22nd August, followed by the start of the retreat to the Marne and the fighting at Le Cateau on the 26th.

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The Leadenham Military History Group’s next meeting will be on Tuesday 23rd June at 7.30pm at Leadenham village hall.

There will be a two part event on this night, starting with:

Paul Robinson - 'Operation Manna'. The airborne food drop into the Netherlands by the RAF in April and May 1945.

This will be followed by:

Brian Riley - Operations Doomsday and Eclipse'. As Britian celebrated VE Day, British 1st Airborne forces were deployed to Norway and Denmark to oversee the surrender of all German forces and to guard against Soviet intentions in Denmark.

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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 July 2026.

The speaker on this occasion is the well-known Tim Willbond who will talk about ‘The Big Wing Part 2 – Fighter Attacks Across The Channel.

Everyone welcome especially new faces.

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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.

Wednesday July 8th - Jan Gray will speak about;

'First World War Trench Diseases.'

Trench Foot, Dysentry, Fever, TB, just a small selection of the illnesses that could afflict a front line soldier. I suspect that Jan’s talk will be fascinating.

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Please click on this link to read the latest newsletter from the Friends of the Tank Memorial Ypres Salient group.

https://mcusercontent.com/363e2db896f2f8d9553fda5f9/files/e0c3859d-8f9c-d813-0450-a516c2175501/FotTMYS_Newsletter_June_2026.docx

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Last week we mentioned Clement Robertson VC, and as you would expect, our resident VC expert, Arthur Wood, has kindly supplied us with a photo of his headstone.

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A week last Saturday I attended Steve Baldwin’s very informative CWGC tour at Waddington. The village church was destroyed by the Luftwaffe in 1941 and the ‘new’ St. Michael’s was built after the end of the Second War.

I popped into the church before the tour started and found a number of interesting Great War plaques.

The tour started at 2.30pm and Steve started off with a brief history of Fabian Ware’s Grave Registration Units and how over time, they morphed into the Imperial War Graves Commission, which led the post-war construction of the war cemeteries in France and Belgium, the design of which was carried out by the nation’s leading architects, Lutyens, Baker, Blomfield etc.

We then walked into the churchyard, which had also been devastated by the air raid in 1941, and the first stop was at the CWGC headstone for Second Lieutenant C R Marks. Steve gave an account of Marks’ life and death, and it was noted that in recent times, his headstone had been damaged or vandalised.

When the CWGC replaced the headstone, they have now agreed to engrave them with the RFC badge for all deaths before 1st April 1918, when the RAF came into being. This practice will continue for many years on a rolling programme of replacements, until at some point in the future, all of the airmen who served and died in the RFC will have an RFC badge on their headstones rather than the badge of the RAF.

Steve’s tour continued for another good hour and he regaled the party with many tales of bravery and tragedy, not the least of which was the plot containing three air-crew who died, in what should have been a very avoidable accident, when a Vulcan crashed at Heathrow in 1956.

The ensuing inquiry blamed pilot error, but the finger was pointed at Air Marshal Broadhurst, who allegedly ignored three orders to divert away from Heathrow due to the poor weather conditions. Both the pilot and Broadhurst ejected to safety, but the other three crew members and an AVRO civilian engineer were killed. Read more here.

1956 London Heathrow Avro Vulcan crash - Alchetron, the free social encyclopedia

I then paid a quick visit to the relatively new village war memorial;

Which stands alongside a clock memorial in remembrance of the Australian squadrons who served at Waddington during World War II.

Steve in full flow. He did an excellent job!

The day finished with Steve and myself allowed to climb into the bell tower at St Michael’s followed by a pint at the adjacent pub. All in all, an excellent afternoon. Well done Steve.

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Last week we noted that yesterday was the 250th anniversary of the American declaration of independence from the British Crown. This prompted Ray Sellers to drop me a line; ‘With the mention of conflicts in North America, and the upcoming anniversary of American independence, I would be grateful if you could inform the TL readers of a current series on BBC4 on a Tuesday evening, called THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. Its Director is KEN BURNS, who I personally think is the greatest documentary film director the USA has ever produced. The whole series can of course be found on BBC iplayer.’

Thank you for the tip off Ray.

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Next up is a second contribution from Steve Baldwin, who notes; ‘I recently visited St. Mary’s church at Ashwell near Oakham. Here I came across an interesting tale of a past Rector of St. Mary’s who had won a Victoria Cross in Afghanistan in the 19th Century.’

The Reverend James William Adams was born in 1839 and died in 1903. Whilst campaigning as a civilian clergyman in the Second Afghan War, Adams came to the rescue of stricken men of the 9th Lancers who had fallen into a steep watercourse and were under fire.

Adams’ VC citation read;

“Reverend JAMES ADAMS, KILLA KAZI, Afghanistan 11th December 1879 He was 40 years old and serving in the Bengal Ecclesiastical Department, Indian Army when he spotted two men from the 9th Lancers trapped underneath their horses in a deep ravine and about to drown. Well aware from the shouting and firing that the enemy were nearly upon them, he jumped into the water, pulled the men clear of their horses and then escaped on foot. Adams was known as the ‘Fighting Parson’.”

The Victoria Cross Trust renovated his last resting place and headstone in June 2025.

A very interesting tale Steve. Thanks for sharing it with us.

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Staying in the 19th Century and the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, Andrew Sayers recently attended a series of lectures at Apsley House, the London home of the Dukes of Wellington.

Andrew writes for us; ‘So what has the home of the first Duke of Wellington got to do with Lincolnshire and Trench Lincs? On the 20th I visited the house on what English Heritage called its “Waterloo Day”. Included that day were a series of talks, two of which were repeated in the afternoon. The talks were given by eminent historians all of whom are consummate public speakers. The lectures were free and included in the price of access to the House, £10.50 for the aged like me. Taking the first train of the day kept the price down and gave me time to wander Regents and Hyde Park along with Breakfast at the Victory Services Club.

The day was hot and the turn out greater than anticipated. There were nine lectures with the last two being repeats from the morning. Some subjects interested me, others, I thought, less so. How wrong I was.

Waterloo part 1 and 2 were excellent joint presentations by two of the team of lecturers. One speaking for the Allies, the other for the French.

The lecture on Discipline was very informative. Wellington's Army never sought to flog people to death. They had specific punishments to achieve that effect. Instead even though 1,500 lashes were sometimes awarded, the punishment was stopped either by the doctor or the soldier’s officers stating that he had had enough. Notably King George III felt that 1,000 lashes were more than enough!

Evidence was presented on the willingness of the soldiers to follow their officers without taking the easy opportunity to take revenge on tyrants by shooting them in the back.

The lecture on the legacy Waterloo was to me original and revealing. Given by an American Academic who was erudite and incredibly well informed, It was worth attending just to hear this. Dr. Luke Reynolds from the University of Stamford bore a physical resemblance to Rafe Hedel-Mankoo in style and appearance. He spoke about the annual Waterloo banquets given in Apsley House by the First Duke.

They were limited to men who had fought at Waterloo and Heads of State. Queen Victoria was never invited but Prince Albert was. Appeals were made to add a balcony so the dinner could be watched from above like in some continental royal households, but the only concession the Duke made was to build an extension to his home so he could invite more veterans. The talk was given in the very room the banquet was held in surrounded by the Duke’s art collection. Most was liberated from Napoleon’s brother Joseph after the battle of Vittoria 21st June 1813. Almost a third of the Spanish Royal Art collection was identified and the Duke wrote to the King of Spain as to how it should be returned. The King gifted it all to the Duke. The adjacent dining room and other rooms hold the Duke’s silverware. On the official painting the silverware is removed. To achieve authenticity, the painter had every person attending sit individually for the portrait so the facial details are totally accurate. The silver would have obscured their faces.

I later spoke to Luke who is interested in attending one of the events at Leadenham House hosted by William Reeve which I commend to readers. The next is on 16th September.

The Waterloo Dinner.

The lectures on ‘studying the ground’ and ‘the casualties’ were detailed, accurate and informative. However, the point of my overlong article is this.

What have black soldiers got to do with Napoleonic infantry at Waterloo and Lincoln in particular?

I had not expected this talk to be at all interesting. I was so wrong. Dr. Mathew Taylor dressed as a Regency Dandy explained by giving the background to Black soldiers in 18th Century Armies and how the tradition carried on into the Napoleonic period. He then compared and contrasted the lives of two black soldiers who fought at Waterloo, presenting evidence of there being nine black survivors of the battle so possibly about fifteen took part in the British Army. Only survivors of the battle were given the Waterloo medal and their details are recorded.

Military Bands in the early 18th century consisted of flutes and side drums. Nothing more. Contact with the Ottoman Empire and India exposed our military to ‘outlandish’ musical instruments like large Bass Drums, cymbals and all the instruments we now regard as normal in a European military band. There was great competition within regiments to acquire these and the musicians to play them. If the musicians could also be black or brown skinned, it was seen as an extra cachet. In Prussia, black musicians received 150% pay compared with an identical white soldier. The role was popular and was well subscribed by volunteers. The two soldiers used as examples by Dr. Taylor were Sergeant George Rose and Private Peter Bishop.

The following refers to George Rose, a Jamaican-born Black soldier and escaped slave.

Born into slavery in Spanish Town, Jamaica, around 1787, Rose escaped to England where the law automatically declared him a free man “for having breathed the very air of freedom itself” as happened to all slaves – The Somerset v Stewart Case (1772): This landmark common-law ruling by Lord Mansfield declared that chattel slavery had no basis in English common law and could not be enforced in England. This meant any enslaved person who set foot on English soil instantly became free.

Rose enlisted in the British Army in 1809, but not as a bandsman. During his military career, he fought in Germany and the Netherlands. He saw intense combat during the Waterloo campaign, where he was severely wounded in the right arm.

After the war he transferred to the Black Watch and became a Methodist. On promotion to Sergeant in 1831 it made him one of the most senior black soldiers in the British military at that time. There was a promotion bar stopping black men achieving higher rank.

After being discharged with an exemplary record, Rose settled in Glasgow, Scotland, where he became a Primitive Methodist preacher. He went to Glasgow alongside several other Methodist veterans all of whom worked as Methodist missionaries. In 1849, he returned to Jamaica as a missionary, where he died in 1873, remembered as the last known black survivor of the Battle of Waterloo.

In contrast, Peter Bishop enlisted in the 2nd Battalion of the South Lincolnshire Regiment in 1806, employed as a drummer. He received 1 shilling two pence a day. Two pence more than line soldiers.

The Battalion was a ‘hostilities’ only formation, and interestingly some of the 1st Battalion South Lincs fought as Marines on HMS Agamemnon under Nelson at the Battle of St. Vincent.

Between 1806 and 1809 the 2nd Battalion served in Ireland returning to England to “aid the civil power”. Peter Bishop married in St. Swithin’s church Lincoln to Ann Powell in 1810. Both were shown as being under 21 and marked rather than signed their wedding certificate.

From December 1813 to March 1814 the battalion was on campaign in the Netherlands including an assault on Bergen Op Zoom.

By the time of the Waterloo campaign the battalion had few experienced soldiers most of whom were under-age, and a nominal strength of 500 men, with drummer Peter Bishop in the 4th Company.

At Quatre Bras on the 16th of June the Battalion was overrun by French cavalry while attempting to form square. Casualties were over 150 with the King’s Colour being captured by the French. The Battalion was then merged with the 33rd Foot to fight at Waterloo.

The King’s Colour 2nd Battalion 69th Foot, South Lincolnshire Regiment, was eventually returned by the French in 1910 after the signing of the Entente Cordiale.

The 33rd /69th was positioned North of La Haye Saint at Waterloo and received the attention of Napoleons ‘Grand Battery’, D’Erlon’s attack and the charge of the French Cavalry Corps. The Battalion was on the edge of the Cavalry charges so was not itself directly charged though it was formed in square as a precaution. Casualties were 40% over the three days, with 57% in William Bishop’s Fourth Company.

After Waterloo the Battalion marched into Paris and was reviewed by the Tsar of Russia and the Emperor of Austria. Along with the Waterloo medal, all ranks were awarded prize money with William Bishop receiving £2.11s.4d. On return to England the Battalion was disbanded with William discharged. Therefore, he did not receive the extra two-years seniority for his pension that was awarded with the medal. He in fact, received no pension at all.

In 1815 Lincoln had a population of several thousand and was prosperous, but William Bishop was in gaol by 1819 for the theft of a brass candlestick. Sentenced to three-months hard labour with the first and last weeks in solitary confinement. He was again in gaol in 1824 for a month, as was his wife who died in 1826. She was buried at the Church of St Mary le Wigford.

Peter married again, living in Little Lane Lincoln. He had a son who sadly died within a few weeks. On the 18th of November 1826, just over a week after the burial of his infant son, Peter Bishop was admitted to Lincoln Gaol charged with “Assault”. On admission, he was 34 years of age, 5/5” tall with a Black complexion. A labourer by occupation, his place of birth was given as India, and he was a married man (without children). He appeared before Lincoln Assizes in January 1827, and after being found “Guilty” was sentenced to six-weeks imprisonment. Reporting on the trial, the Stamford Mercury referenced his service as a drummer in the 69th Foot.

“Peter Bishop, for an assault on James Burley, a watchman, guilty – 6 weeks’ imprisonment, the last fortnight in a solitary cell. The prisoner is a Negro by blood and colour, and formerly brandished the great-drum sticks in the band of the 69th Regt. He has been for some years past resident in Lincoln, where he is well known both to children and adults as “Peter the Black,” and equally well known to the police as one of the most troublesome and disorderly characters in the place. On the night in question, he had disturbed the rest of many quiet inhabitants in Butchery Lane by quarrelling with his wife; the watch being called, found Mrs Bishop prostrate in the kennel, her husband standing over her in tremendous rage, and both drunk. The watchman assisted them home, and was in hopes of effecting a reconciliation, but the quarrel breaking out afresh, Peter resented Mr Burley’s interference so much as to “heave” first a candlestick and then a teakettle at him, and lastly he made a furious onset with the poker. The timely arrival of two more “guardians” prevented more and serious mischief. Peter, who thought to “grace his cause” by speaking for himself, professed a complete oblivion – “a mass of things, but nothing distinctly; a quarrel, but nothing wherefore.” They had been burying the little one that morning, and he believed had been taking a few drops of comfort afterwards, and Desdemona being in a very “aggravating” mood, he remembered perfectly walking out of the house “lest he should get randy” with her. He supposed he must have got rather tossicated, but as to striking a man with either poker or candlestick, he scorned the action. “And as to Jim Burley,” said Peter, waxing warm, “do you remember mushroom time; crack that nut, Jim Burley.” At this mysterious inuendo, which was followed by others equally obscure against other witnesses, the court thought proper to interfere and deprive the audience of many rich tropical flowers of rhetoric, and a very brief consideration enabled a jury to find a verdict of guilty.” (Report from the Stamford Mercury)

In 1829 his second wife Martha died, described as “An idle and disorderly person…” and “…notorious character…”

There are copious records of Peter Bishop’s crimes. He sank into vagrancy, drunkenness and prison. He wandered the country but a report from a man in Bristol records:

Passing one evening through Old Market Street two months ago, I was struck with the appearance of a wretched being, who, like a ghost, crawled along the streets barefoot and almost naked. He was a man of colour: and from the costume (white) which he wore, contrasted with his dark features and fleshless form, inspired the beholders with an involuntary feeling of horror. He was begging, by his manner, but spoke no words. In the reflection of a light which he carried suspended from his neck, I fancied I perceived something glitter on his breast, and imagining it to be some Indian curiosity, I stopped and addressed him, at the same time placing my hand on the article which had attracted my attention….., when to my surprise, and I will add, to my shame, I discovered it to be……. a “Waterloo Medal!” Astonished, I asked “where he got it, or was it his own?” “Yes, Sir”, he replied in exceedingly good English. “How long was you a soldier?” I enquired. “Ten years” was the answer. “Have you any pension?” “No.” “When were you discharged?” “After Waterloo.” “What did you get on leaving?” “The same as all the others who left then,” he replied…..What is your name, and what regiment did you serve in?” I asked. “You can see, Sir, here” said he, as he turned the edge of his “glorious badge” upon which I read (I forget the Christian name), but “_________Bishop, drummer, 69th Regiment!”

After much wandering including Brighton and Newark, Peter died of TB in Lincoln Workhouse. As a pauper he will have been interred in the burial ground at Lincoln Union Workhouse, Long Leys Road. There is no record of his treasured Waterloo Medal.

At the Apsley House talk, Dr. Taylor concluded by contrasting the two black men’s lives and compared them to the present day where we also find veterans both well placed in society and others living rough on the streets.’

Thank you for that tale Andrew, and you are totally correct to say that successive governments over the last 200 years have all undervalued the service and suffering of our nation’s veterans.

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Nick Firby was taken by Tim Sisson’s report last week from Aubourn, and the memorial plaque to Colonel Ainslie. Nick writes; ‘I saw the photos of the memorial to Lt. Colonel Ainslie and the references to his wounding at the Battle of Inkerman and thought you (and the other readers) may be interested in how parts of today's Army still wear a visible symbol of the Battle.

I attach a photo of the Warrant Officers and Senior Non Commissioned Officers of 1st Battalion Durham Light Infantry taken while based in York during 1924. With the exception of the officers and WO1s on the front row, most of the other men in the photo are wearing the 'Inkerman Chain'.

When this photo was taken, wearing of this item was apparently unique to WO2s and SNCOs of the DLI in recognition of the Regiment's part in the Battle of Inkerman when, due to particularly high officer casualties, the WOs and SNCOs of the 68th Light Infantry (as the DLI was then known) had taken on a much more prominent role in events. Initially, wearing of the chain was limited to 1 DLI only (as the 68th's successor), but it was later extended to the Regiment's other battalions. When the DLI merged with the other light infantry regiments in the late 60s, the tradition was carried over into the Light Infantry and this was repeated more recently when the Light Infantry merged with other regiments to form the Rifles; hence parts of the Army today still wear a visible symbol of the Battle of Inkerman.

I said above that most of the WO2s and SNCOs are wearing the 'Inkerman Chain'. My grandfather, CQMS James C Marshall, is standing in the second row, 6th man in from the left. As he is partly obscured, it is not possible to determine whether he is wearing the Chain or not; however, from the second photo of the DLI Depot staff (he is standing in the rear row, fourth man in from the right), I know he did have one. There are several other men without a chain, but I do not know why (with one exception). Apparently, it was not an issued item and had to be purchased at the individual's own expense (I read somewhere they originally cost 10s 6d in 'old' money (52.5p today)); therefore, they may have declined to do so. The one exception is the WO2 standing at the extreme right of the second row. If you look carefully, you will see his cap badge is Royal Army Ordnance Corps, and he would have been attached to 1 DLI as the artificer responsible for maintenance of the Battalion's weapons; as such, he would not have been entitled to wear the 'Inkerman Chain'.

Most of the men are also wearing WWI campaign medals; the WO2 sitting at the extreme left of the front row also has a DCM and MM while the serjeant standing in the third row, second from the left also looks to have the latter decoration. As 1/DLI had spent the war in India, many are also wearing the 1908 Indian General Service Medal, most likely with the 'Afghanistan 1919' clasp (my grandfather's definitely is).’

The Depot Staff.

Wow! Thank you for that wonderful explanation and two absolutely fascinating photos Nick.

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The next interesting article comes courtesy of Bruce Gilbert who comments; ‘I am a relatively new member of the Spalding Branch of the WFA having moved to Lincolnshire last autumn, but at my first meeting I had the good fortune to meet your good self and you kindly enrolled me on your weekly newsletter which I find fascinating. Your update on local history events has meant that I have visited a number of other meetings as well, and attended several lectures about WWI aviation which has reawakened my interest in the RFC and the war in the air.

[Thank you Bruce, and I am pleased to have helped you come back into the fold! – Ed]

A couple of weeks ago I spent some time on the Western Front and cycled the Peace Cycle Route around Ypres which in itself was charming, if sobering. As I cycled through Poelkapelle, I spotted the Guynemer Pavilion and stopped and investigated.

It is a private museum run by Patrick Devoogt, an architect who owns the Pavilion and who has dedicated it to Georges Guynemer - a French Air Ace who crashed and died nearby but no one knows of the circumstances of his death or indeed where his body lies. Guynemer was one of the best pilots of WWI but his list of kills is outweighed by others, but he preferred to fly alone and many of his kills were not witnessed as was required for them to count. He was apparently supremely indifferent to fame and kill rates.

[This loner attitude was shared by Albert ball – Ed]

I thought that your readers might be interested to know about this small but fascinating aviation museum and I enclose a number of photographs for your interest. The aeroplane is a Morane Saulnier L the type of which Guynemer flew and though the fuselage was lovingly recreated by local engineering students as part of a project, the engine is an original. He also flew a Spad hence the other smaller scale model.

The Guynemer Statue.

Patrick has recently discovered that there is an unknown RFC pilot buried near the crash and although the Red Cross recorded the death of Guynemer, the whereabouts of his body are not known. Patrick believes that the unknown RFC pilot is likely to be Guynemer and his research continues. As an aside, Patrick's son is a baker and works in the same building as does his wife who is a chocolatier so if aviation palls, there is excellent bread and chocolate for sale there.

Interestingly, Patrick's grandfather served in the Belgian Army in WWI but resolutely refused to talk about his experience. He was visited by a family friend from time to time and they would retire to the front room to talk about their service and mutual friends but the family was banned from joining them. His grandfather said his memories were too awful to inflict on his family but every Sunday, come hail or shine, he would cycle to the Belgian War Cemetery taking his little son to pay his respects to his friends.

He apparently had a number of war medals but only one of which he was proud - one day he ran into no man's land under fire to a wounded German officer who begged him not to kill him. Patrick's grandfather assured him he had no such intention and carried him back to the Belgian lines where he was treated. The story runs that the officer was so grateful that he freely revealed much useful information about the German plans and the brass hats were so pleased that the medal was awarded. I have told Patrick that he ought to dedicate a room to his grandfather!

I hope the above is of interest to you and answers your appeal for articles? [It certainly is – Ed] I have also written a small book about my Great Uncle and his service from 1914 until 1916 when he died of his wounds after the devastating attack on Gommecourt. My recent trip to France was part of my research into his life.’

I immediately replied to Bruce and thanked him. I have visited Polekapelle often, mainly for the Ypres Salient Tank Memorial that resides there, and I am very conversant with the story of Guynemer and his statue, but I have never been to the museum, which I assume is relatively new?

Bruce’s final comment about Gommecourt also caught my attention, as this is an action, on 1st July 1916, that is dear to my heart as it is where the 7th Sherwood Foresters, The Robin Hoods, were severely mauled and is the subject of one of my talks.

In this action, two Territorial Force Divisions, the 46th (North Midland) and the 56th (London) Divisions attempted a completely unsupported pincer attack on the heavily defended Gommecourt Salient, the idea, according to Haig, was to ‘draw as much fire onto themselves’, so as to aid the Northern Pals attack at Serre. Both the attacks at Gommecourt and Serre ended in bloody failure and to cap it all, the 46th Division were accused of ‘Lacking Offensive Spirit’ (Cowardice), and faced a Court of Enquiry.

After my response, Bruce sent me some further information appertaining to his Great Uncle, he writes; ‘My Great Uncle Alec joined the Queen’s Westminster Rifles TF Battalion on leaving school aged 15 and was posted to France in November 1914. He served at Armentieres and in the Ypres Salient with a long period at Houplines before the battalion was absorbed into the new 56th Division and sent for training prior to the Somme Offensive. He was promoted to Serjeant by the age of 18, won (posthumously) the Military Medal for bravery under fire in the Salient and was also mentioned in despatches. Much to his family's consternation he refused when offered a commission.

I have read Alan Macdonald's detailed, if harrowing, books about Gommecourt but I cannot help wondering if the London boys felt let down by the North Midland Division. The QWR's fought their way through to the Quadilateral where they were due to be joined by the North Staffs but the latter, as you know, were hung up on the wire. The Germans transferred their artillery and machine guns from the North Midlands sector and turned them on the 56th Division who had to retire and were cut to pieces in doing so.

Alec was badly wounded and transferred to one of the Le Treport field hospitals and his parents were granted visiting rights and indeed saw him and thought he was going to survive, but alas he died and is buried at Mont Huon Military Cemetery. I took my young grandchildren to see him during my recent visit so he will not be forgotten by his family. I wish in some ways he had died at Gommecourt because he would be buried with all his pals but at least he had a last meeting with his family. [That is quite an amazing tale Bruce – Ed]

I always visit the two cemeteries at Gommecourt and did so on that recent visit. At the cemetery where the 56th Division are mainly buried I watched spellbound as scores of swallows swooped and dived in and around the gravestones there. I have never seen so many swallows in one place and it was as if the spirits of the young men there had taken flight.

I have an affinity with the 46th Division too, as my mother's family has roots in Nottinghamshire and a distant cousin of hers was a Lord Derby recruit having volunteered in 1915. He joined up in 1917 having apparently been given a white feather by three young girls and was recruited into the "Robin Hood Battalion" of the Notts and Derby's. He was however transferred "for the good of the service" to the Machine Gun Corps and arrived in France in time for the Battle of Messines. Having survived that, he was later killed during a German trench raid under the cover of mist but his body was never recovered and he features with so many on the Menin Gate.

Sorry to be so long winded but it's a fascinating subject!’

It certainly is Bruce.

Bruce had described his Great Uncle as Alec, but did not provide a surname or service number. Fortunately, I was able to get that detail from the lovely photo above of Bruce’s grandson Harry at Alec’s graveside.

Armed with the surname Fagan, I found that Alec was actually Howard Alec and here is his Medal Index Card which shows his service with the 1st/16th Battalion London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster Rifles) and the award of his Military Medal, as well as the fact that he hung on for three weeks before dying on the 21st July [I would guess from sepsis? – Ed] His date of arrival in France is noted as 1st November 1914, thus just qualifying Alec as an original member of the old BEF – an Old Contemptible.

As Bruce lives at Heckington, I am going to arrange to meet up with him once again in the near future so that we can discuss Gommecourt further, and I sincerely hope that none of the 56th lads felt let down by the 46th chaps – Haig really did give them an immensely large ‘brown’ stick to hold on that fateful day.

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As we paused to remember the men who went ‘over the top’ at 7.30am 110 years ago on the 1st July, did you stop to think – was it worth it? Do you hold with the futility of the Great War, or do you believe that German militarism and domination of Europe had to be stopped at all cost?

The events of the 1st July 1916 are well documented, from the unsupported and disastrous diversionary assault at Gommecourt, to Serre, Beaumont Hamel, Thiepval, Ovillers, La Boiselle, Mametz, Fricourt and Contalmaison – names that will haunt British history for ever, some 57,000 men became casualties with one-third of them dying.

Sir John Keegan wrote that ‘…..the finest army that Britain ever put into the field was destroyed on the Somme.’ However, the revisionist historians of the late 20th century and up to today, have attempted to put a more nuanced view on to the events of 1916, and have led the field in attempting to explain and exonerate Sir Douglas Haig’s leadership through this traumatic year.

I have compiled my thoughts for you, but it doesn’t mean to say that I am correct. Do you agree with me?, partially agree? or fundamentally disagree? – there’s no such thing as a wrong viewpoint, so please let me know your views.

Was the Attrition of the 1916 Somme Offensive Worth It?

The Battle of the Somme, fought between 1st July and 18th November 1916, remains one of the most controversial campaigns of the First World War. Planned jointly by Britain and France, the offensive aimed to break through German defensive lines, relieve pressure on the French forces fighting at Verdun, and ultimately achieve a decisive victory on the Western Front. Instead, the battle became synonymous with attrition, characterised by enormous casualties for relatively limited territorial gains. By the end of the campaign, the British Empire had suffered approximately 420,000 casualties, the French around 200,000, and the Germans an estimated 430,000 to 500,000. Whether this extraordinary human cost was justified has been debated by historians for more than a century.

Although the Somme failed to achieve its original objective of a decisive breakthrough, its strategic impact, the relief it provided to Verdun, and the military lessons it generated suggest that the attrition, while tragic, contributed significantly to the eventual Allied victory.

One of the strongest arguments in favour of the Somme is that it fulfilled an important strategic purpose by easing German pressure on Verdun. When planning began in late 1915, the Somme was intended as a joint Anglo-French offensive. However, Germany’s attack on Verdun in February 1916 forced France to divert much of its army to defending that fortress. Consequently, Britain assumed the leading role in the Somme offensive. Once the battle began on 1st July, Germany had little choice but to transfer divisions away from Verdun to reinforce its threatened positions along the Somme. This reduced the intensity of the German assault on the French, allowing Verdun to hold. Had the Somme not taken place, Germany may have concentrated sufficient resources to capture Verdun, potentially causing a catastrophic blow to French morale and military capability. Therefore, although the Somme did not achieve a breakthrough, it succeeded in supporting Britain’s principal ally at a critical moment.

Furthermore, the battle inflicted severe losses upon the German Army, weakening its ability to sustain the war. Although casualty estimates vary, German losses were broadly comparable to those suffered by the Allies. Unlike Britain, Germany possessed fewer reserves and faced increasing difficulties replacing experienced soldiers and officers. Historian Gary Sheffield argues that by late 1916 Germany had been forced onto the strategic defensive, a trend accelerated by the losses suffered during the Somme. German commanders such as General Erich Ludendorff later admitted that the campaign imposed immense strain upon their forces. While Britain could increasingly draw upon manpower from across the Empire and benefit from expanding industrial production, Germany faced mounting shortages caused by the Allied naval blockade. In this sense, attrition arguably favoured the Allies over the long term.

The Somme also transformed the British Army into a far more effective fighting force. In 1914, Britain’s army had been relatively small and professional. By 1916, it consisted largely of volunteers from Lord Kitchener’s New Army, many of whom had little combat experience. The opening day demonstrated this in devastating fashion, with nearly 57,000 British casualties, including over 19,000 deaths, making it the bloodiest day in British military history. However, throughout the campaign, British commanders gradually adapted their tactics. Improvements included closer coordination between infantry and artillery, the increasing use of creeping barrages, better communication methods, and greater reliance on aircraft for reconnaissance. The battle also witnessed the first battlefield use of tanks in September 1916.

Although these early machines were unreliable, they represented a significant technological innovation that foreshadowed future developments in warfare. Many of the tactical lessons learned on the Somme contributed to the more successful Allied offensives of 1917 and 1918.

However, there are compelling arguments that the attrition of the Somme was not worth its immense cost. The offensive failed in its primary objective of achieving a decisive breakthrough. Despite months of fighting and enormous casualties, Allied forces advanced only around six to eight miles at their furthest point. German defensive systems largely remained intact, and the Western Front continued to be characterised by trench warfare. Critics argue that such limited territorial gains could never justify the loss of more than one million casualties on both sides. To many contemporaries, the battle appeared to symbolise futile slaughter rather than meaningful progress.

Criticism has also focused on the leadership of General Sir Douglas Haig, commander of the British Expeditionary Force. Haig believed that sustained offensives would eventually wear down German resistance and create opportunities for cavalry exploitation once a breakthrough occurred. Many historians, particularly those writing in the decades after the war, portrayed him as overly optimistic and insufficiently responsive to changing battlefield conditions. The preliminary artillery

bombardment, lasting over seven days, failed to destroy German deep dugouts or cut much of the barbed wire protecting enemy positions. Consequently, when British infantry advanced at walking pace on 1st July, they encountered devastating machine-gun fire. Critics argue that commanders underestimated German defences and overestimated the effectiveness of artillery, leading to avoidable losses.

Moreover, the human consequences of the Somme were profound. Entire communities across Britain suffered devastating losses because many battalions were recruited from single towns through the “Pals Battalions” scheme. When these units attacked together, entire neighbourhoods lost large numbers of young men in a single day. The psychological trauma experienced by survivors, together with the widespread grief felt across Britain and the Empire, left lasting social scars. For many families, the battle became a symbol of needless sacrifice, influencing public perceptions of the First World War for generations.

Nevertheless, recent historical interpretations have challenged the traditional view that the Somme was simply a pointless massacre. Historians such as Gary Sheffield and William Philpott argue that the battle should be understood within the realities of industrial warfare. By 1916, neither side possessed the technology or tactical methods necessary to achieve rapid breakthroughs against entrenched positions defended by machine guns, barbed wire, and heavy artillery. Attrition therefore became an unavoidable feature of warfare rather than merely a consequence of poor leadership. From this perspective, Haig’s strategy reflected the military realities of the time rather than personal incompetence. Although costly, the battle gradually exhausted Germany’s military resources while improving Allied operational capabilities.

In conclusion, whether the attrition of the Somme was worth it depends largely upon the criteria used to judge success. If measured solely by immediate territorial gains and casualty figures, the offensive appears to have been a devastating failure. The enormous human cost, particularly on the first day, continues to symbolise the horrors of industrial warfare. However, when viewed within the broader strategic context of the First World War, the battle achieved several important objectives. It relieved pressure on Verdun, inflicted heavy losses on the German Army, accelerated Britain’s military development, and contributed to the gradual erosion of Germany’s ability to continue the war. While the suffering endured by those who fought can never be justified lightly, the Somme played a significant role in creating the conditions that enabled Allied victory in 1918. Therefore, although the price paid was extraordinarily high, there is a strong argument that the attritional nature of the Somme ultimately served an essential strategic purpose.

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For our regular weekly finish from Chris at Colour by CJS what could be better than to remember the Beechey family from Lincolnshire. Five of Amy Beechey’s sons were killed in the Great War, and she is buried in Lincoln’s Newport Cemetery – see the photo above in the events section for the next FoLT talk on 30th July.

The Tragedy of the Beechey family - Five brothers killed in WW1.

Sergeant Barnard Beechey.

Was born in 1877 in Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire, well educated, he obtained a degree in Mathematics at Cambridge University and went into Teaching.

Barnard served in the 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, and was killed in the Battle of Loos on 25th September 1915.

Barnard was 38 years old and has no known grave.

Second Lieutenant Frank Beechey.

Was born in 1886 in Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire, and was a teacher in Lincoln.

Frank served in the 13th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment, and tragically lost both legs while laying a telephone line in No Man's Land.

Frank died of his wounds on 14th November 1916, and is buried in Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery in Saulty. He was 30 years old.

Lance Corporal Harold Beechey.

Was born in Friesthorpe, Lincolnshire in 1891, and emigrated to Australia in 1910.

Harold served in the 48th Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force.

He fought in Gallipoli in 1915 and the Battle of the Somme in 1916 where he was wounded by shrapnel.

Harold was 26 years old when killed by artillery fire at Bullecourt on the 10th April 1917. He has no known grave.

Private Charles Beechey.

Was born in 1878 in Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire, like Barnard, he obtained a degree at Cambridge University and became a teacher.

He served in the 25th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, and was killed in East Africa on 20th October 1917.

Charles, who was 39, is buried in Dar Es Salaam War Cemetery, Tanzania

Rifleman Leonard Beechey.

Was born in 1881 in Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire.

He served in 18th Battalion, London Irish Rifles and was gassed and wounded at Cambrai in December 1917.

He died from tetanus in a French military hospital on 29th December 1917.

Leonard was 36 years of age and is buried in St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France.

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In Memoriam the Lincolnshire Regiment 5th July.

1915

2051 Private Frederick Maxwell, 4th Battalion. Remembered on the Menin Gate, Belgium.

1583 Private Albert Donald Hackford, 5th Battalion. – Ditto. –

2745 Private Larence Mason Driver, 5th Battalion. – Ditto. –

1916

Thirteen men of the regiment are recorded as having died on this day.

1917

32851 Private Thomas Kay, 1st Battalion, aged 19. Buried in Coljeul British Cemetery, France.

9105 Private George Frederick Neale, 1st Battalion, aged 24. – Ditto. –

34337 Private John Galloway, Depot, aged 29. Buried in bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension Nord, France.

240584 Lance Sergeant Herbert White, 5th Battalion. Remembered on the Arras Memorial, France.

39748 Private Edgar Smith, 14th Labour Company, aged 30. Buried in Lone Tree Cemetery, Belgium.

1918

51631 Private A E Halsey, 1st Battalion, aged 30. Buried in Avesnes Sur Helpe Cemetery, France.

202193 Private F W Bailey, 2nd/5th Battalion, aged 34. Buried in Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery, France.

42848 Private A Hope, 1st Battalion. Buried in Glageon Communal Cemetery, France.

20313 Private Cornelius Thornton Hargreaves, Depot, aged 46. Buried in Hull Western Cemetery, UK.

1919

Private E E Towle, Depot, Remembered on the Hollybrook Memorial, Southampton, UK.

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Following in the footsteps of Jo Stacey and Tony Nutkins from last week, Keith Burrell has been in touch and requested an In Memoriam mention for John William Forrington.

Keith comments; ‘John, a Gainsborough man, served with the 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment. He was a First day of the Somme casualty and is commemorated on the Thiepval memorial. I am the proud owner of his 1914 Star and Victory medal.’

I couldn’t let the opportunity pass without finding John Forrington’s Medal Index Card. He arrived in France on 5th November 1914, thus making him an Old Contemptible, and he is clearly stated as being killed on 1st July 1916, as well as providing his address in Gainsborough.

The 2nd Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment, 25 Brigade, 8th Division, attacked at Ovillers at 7.25 am as the leading waves moved into No Man’s Land. The German front line was reached under heavy fire and 200 yards was captured after fierce fighting by 7.50am. The battalion’s Commanding Officer, Lt. Colonel Reginald Bastard, recorded that after 2-3 hours of fighting, only he and one other officer were still standing – “…and we had bullet holes in our clothing.” German counter attacks forced their eventual withdrawal having suffered 471 casualties.

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I hope you all have a great week, and lucky old me, I am off to Wimbledon tomorrow.

Until next week,

All best wishes

Jonathan

E: trenchlincs@gmail.com

www.jonathandhooghe.co.uk

© Jonathan D’Hooghe