1st July 1916

[Mike Hunt-Hertz]

Centenary coming up. My grandad was there with Lowther's Lambs, a pals battalion of the Royal Sussex.

Unsure where he was, but narrowed it down to the Boar's Head diversionary attack at Richebourg ( "the day that Sussex died") or attacking the Quadrilateral Redoubt at Serre. Came through it, and was also at the 3rd Battle of Ypres and Vittorio Veneto in Northern Italy. Did get mustard gassed, and never the same. Unlike Uncle Albert he rarely spoke of it, and died of lung cancer, just after I was born (mustard gas is a carcinogen, but probably all the tabs he smoked!).

Anyone else have relatives at the Somme?

[richwwtk]

6 hours ago, Mike Hunt-Hertz said:

Centenary coming up. My grandad was there with Lowther's Lambs, a pals battalion of the Royal Sussex.

Unsure where he was, but narrowed it down to the Boar's Head diversionary attack at Richebourg ( "the day that Sussex died") or attacking the Quadrilateral Redoubt at Serre. Came through it, and was also at the 3rd Battle of Ypres and Vittorio Veneto in Northern Italy. Did get mustard gassed, and never the same. Unlike Uncle Albert he rarely spoke of it, and died of lung cancer, just after I was born (mustard gas is a carcinogen, but probably all the tabs he smoked!).

Anyone else have relatives at the Somme?

My Grandpa was French, but ran away to England aged 10, five years before the war started. He signed up in the British Army and was proud to have fought to reclaim his country of birth at the Somme, amongst others. Like most, he rarely spoke of it, but his career can be followed through his batallion's yearbooks, of which my cousin has a complete set.

He stayed in the army for well over 20 years and served all around the world after the war had ended.

[Mike Hunt-Hertz]

16 minutes ago, richwwtk said:

My Grandpa was French, but ran away to England aged 10, five years before the war started. He signed up in the British Army and was proud to have fought to reclaim his country of birth at the Somme, amongst others. Like most, he rarely spoke of it, but his career can be followed through his batallion's yearbooks, of which my cousin has a complete set.

He stayed in the army for well over 20 years and served all around the world after the war had ended.

My grandad was a copper for 26 years after leaving the army....being posted to Bream in FoD, hence why I have Sussex-born grandparent.