Soldier Record

Enlisted in the 11th (Lewisham) Battalion, Royal West Kents in November 1915, part of 14 Squad, D Company. Trained as a Bomber and embarked for France in May 1916. Took part in the 11th West Kents first ever "trench raid" near "Plugstreet Wood" which resulted in him getting a dose of Gas from his own side and scratched to ribbons by the enemy barb wire which the British bombardment had failed to displace.

To his pals he was known as "Longboat" to the officers he was "The Tall Gentleman."

Transfered to the Somme in August 1916 the 11th Battallion R.W.K was replaced by a whole brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division such had been their losses the previous July.

After training he "went over the top" for the first time in the attack on the village of Flers, September 1916 when tanks were used for the very first time in warfare.

Went over the top again on Saturday 7th October 1916 on the Somme during the Battle of Transloy Ridge. As the battalion reached the top of slight incline they were cut down by shell and machine gun fire. My grandfather had a peice of shrapnel smash into his thigh bone breaking it, then whilst lying unconsious a bullet went through his helmet taking a part of his scalp off his head.

Was pulled into a shell hole by an officer and some men from his battalion when they realised he was still alive and were midly shocked to find that Pte Sirett had a water bottle full of rum! He and his pals had found it in a jug before the attack and had taken full advantage.

When night fell the officer promised to send for the stretcher bearers as the men made for their own lines.

Next day a R.A.M.C man crawled out and bandaged up my grandfather but apologised because there were no stretchers left as the whole attack had been a complete disaster, there was also no water available. Looking back to the trenches he could see some of his pals waving and shouting to keep his head down as his bright white bandages stood out. Looking around his shell hole he realised that one of the dead men he shared it with was his pal, "Soapy."

After 3 days and 3 nights out in no-mans-land, with just the rum to keep him going a soldier of the 23rd Middlesex Btn crawled out and dragged my grandfather by his tunic back towards the front line while the Germans took pot shots at the pair of them. My grandfather was 6ft tall and weighed 14 st, the Middlesex man was barely 5ft. As he was handed in he received a huge slab of bread and jam and a gritty ham bone covered in fat. He then slept and finally woke up at the base hospital in Rouen. He was discharged honourably from the Army exactly 2 years after enlisting in November 1917.

None of this story would of come to light if it wasn't for my Uncle Mike who left my grandfather with a pen and paper sometime in the late 60's and asked him to jot down what he remembered of the war.

Remembered with pride and affection.