Soldier Record

Lieutenant S James wrote a letter to Sidney's mother, addressed from the Waterloo Dump, near Passendale in January, 1918:

He proved himself a most excellent and conscientious solder

"Dear Madam

In answer to your letter of the 5th inst., I deeply regret to inform you of the death of your son S/32606 L/cpl S W Stokes who died from wounds on Dec 8-17. He was wounded on Dec 7th 17 and died at a dressing station the following day, where he was buried by some of his comrades.

Whilst with this Batt. he had proved himself a most excellent and conscientious solder, always doing his duty in a thorough and cheerful manner and his loss is one which will be felt by us all."

Sidney died, leaving my grandmother, Gertrude, a widow with two small sons, Cecil (my father) and Geoffrey. She died a few years later, leaving both as orphans.

Sidney had worked hard to develop his own grocery business, which he had to close when he was sent to Ypres with the Kings Royal Rifles. His second son, Leslie died shortly before he was forceably enlisted. He went to the front twice. During his first outing, he pulled a comrade, who had slipped into the mud from the duckboards, dodging the bullets and shrapnel. He died from a bullet from a sniper in Passchendale, after the town had been recaptured. He was buried by comrades but his grave ended up in enemy territory when the area was recaptured in 1918. He now rests in peace in Tyne Cot.