Jill Sparrow 10,305 Posted April 25, 2023 Report Share Posted April 25, 2023 As a young child, I remember seeing my maternal grandfather, who lived with us, sitting with some of the elderly gentlemen he knew on a seat which was sited on a triangular island near the bottom of Churchfield Lane. They would often be there, deep in conversation, when I went to the local shops with my mother. One was an old chap named Mr Newstead who lived near to us. Whenever I saw him, he carried a brown paper parcel under his arm, tied with string. Mr Newstead had served in the war and my mother surmised that this was the topic he and my grandfather spoke about. He never mentioned it to my mother. Perhaps it was easier to talk to someone who had been there and could understand. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
letsavagoo 963 Posted April 25, 2023 Report Share Posted April 25, 2023 A couple of links here for the project I was involved in with the 90 letters I have, sent home from the front by my paternal grandfather between 1916 and 1918. Tragically he was killed on the 21st March 1918. His body was not recovered and there is no known grave. https://nlha.org.uk/arf_item/present-location-uncertain/ https://sarahlewisdesigner.co.uk/Present-Location-Uncertain#:~:text=Present Location Uncertain - Sarah Lewis Theatre Designer and Maker&text=Harold and Eva Priestley and,as a soldier during WW1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,305 Posted April 25, 2023 Report Share Posted April 25, 2023 By tragic coincidence, @letsavagoohe was killed on precisely the same day as my maternal great uncle, John Samuel (Jack) Ward. He was with the Sherwood Foresters (Nottstalgia & Derby Regiment). He died in France and is buried there. Of course, I never met him but I was able to speak to family members who knew him and I have his photograph, framed, hanging on the wall. He is not forgotten. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
letsavagoo 963 Posted April 25, 2023 Report Share Posted April 25, 2023 That date was the launch of the German counter offensive generally referred to as the spring offensive. The Germans knew that with the Americans now joining the war in force, they had little chance of ultimate victory. Following the Russian revolution Germany had made a peace treaty with Russia and were able to bring thousands of battle hardened troops from the Russian front to the Western front in a large scale counter offensive designed to overwhelm the allies. They launched a massive bombardment at dawn and anyone who had the misfortune to be at the front, the chance of survival was slim. Whole regiments were simply wiped out. Thousands were slaughtered. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,592 Posted April 25, 2023 Report Share Posted April 25, 2023 Sent to my grandmother from my grandfather who was in Ypres in 1917, he was in a Bantam regiment from Nottingham Rog 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Oztalgian 3,278 Posted April 25, 2023 Report Share Posted April 25, 2023 I find gravestones such as this gut wrenching, so sad and of course those with no known resting place or were just obliterated by high explosives. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HSR 286 Posted April 26, 2023 Report Share Posted April 26, 2023 My Great uncle died 13 July, Somme, known as the second push. 7th division. Joined the Scottish Fusiliers, a Meadows lad, may well have been recruited on Bridlesmith Gate. His older brother by 11 months (My GF) joined the Sherwood Foresters in 1907 aged 17, previously employed at Clifton Colliery..he was still in the army or claimed to be on the 1921 census..He.. to the family is the true Mr Elusive.. I apologise for waffling Back to the Fusiliers, they were going into a salient, the Somme offensive was 'successful' in the south, very few trenches..but lots of barbed wire. As division reserve..they went in with a mills bomb attack.... He had 15 month old baby, his Widow kept his Surname after remarriage..to a Miner at Mansfied Woodhouse. While "Died of wounds' generally appear to have a grave and deservedly so. The disparity between Officers and the general ranks that died and are individually buried is somewhat enlightening. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob.L 1,088 Posted April 26, 2023 Report Share Posted April 26, 2023 My family were perhaps fortunate in that both of my granddads got through the first war. One was in a reserved occupation (policeman), while the other was deemed too old to serve overseas so went into the Royal Garrison Artillery, manning coastal defences. He did lose his younger brother on the Somme, though. No known grave but he is commemorated on the Pozières memorial. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,123 Posted April 26, 2023 Report Share Posted April 26, 2023 My maternal grandfather was in the ‘bicycle corps’ during WW1. That always amused me but it was a genuine outfit. He got gassed and was repatriated to Burgage Manor in Southwell which was converted to a convalescent home. It was a two train journey for my grandmother to visit him. Midland Station to Rolleston Junction and from there to Southwell. The Southwell - Rolleston shuttle was still running up to the late 60’s. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hey Arnold 88 Posted April 28, 2023 Report Share Posted April 28, 2023 My paternal grandfather served in the Gordon Highlanders in the Great War, embarking for France on 30th December 1915 and was discharged from the army on 24th December 1918. He, like thousands of others, was gassed and some time after the war was given 6 months to live and awarded a pension, which he took as a lump sum. He spent it all going to America to see Caruso, it had been his ambition, leaving my grandmother and children behind. After returning home he lived on for years afterwards dying in the late forties. I never knew him but my dad said he would never talk about his experiences, and my aunt, who was the youngest, said that the only time she ever heard him say anything he said that 'he went into the Somme a boy and came out a man' 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HSR 286 Posted April 29, 2023 Report Share Posted April 29, 2023 On 4/26/2023 at 3:26 AM, HSR said: While "Died of wounds' generally appear to have a grave and deservedly so. The disparity between Officers and the general ranks that died and are individually buried is somewhat enlightening I Wasn't very clear, I was talking about people who died in the field, it is a very small sample, maybe not typical, under 70 men (64) if I remember. I have read, due to 'time' soldiers were placed in mass graves. I know many people were reinturned after the war, was this from recognised graves? from what I have read the majority were from previously 'established' nearby staging posts. Does anybody know if soldiers buried in mass graves, were documented? and the Graves charted? I appreciate that there is no definitive answer... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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