27359 Pte Bert Harrison Blades, 1st Bn, King's Own

27359 Private Bert Harrison Blades of the 1st Battalion, King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), was killed in action on the 4th February 1917.

Bert had originally joined the 5th Lincolnshire Regiment as an eighteen-year-old, on the 30th May 1911. At the time, it was noted that he was born in Horncastle and was working as a labourer. He was still serving as a Territorial when Britain went to war in August 1914, but for whatever reason, was not with the battalion when it arrived overseas in March 1915. Surviving papers in his service record note that he was in England until the 3rd September 1916 when he was posted to the 2/5th Battalion. He set in France as - according to his service record - 2/5th man, but must have been part of a draft for the 1/5th Battalion as the 2/5th was still in Ireland and would not set foot in France until February 1917.

Whilst in France, Bert was transferred to the 2/4th King's Own (20th September 1916) and then immediately posted to the regular 1st Battalion on the same day. He was serving with the 1st Battalion when he was killed in action on the Somme.

Bert Blades has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (MIC)
Army Ancestry
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in The Great War