SD/2268 Pte Ernest James Coppard, 12th Royal Sussex Regiment

I have just returned from a three-day trip to the Somme. I wanted to mark the 100th anniversary of the South Down battalions' decimation as part of a diversionary attack on the so-called Boar's Head at Richebourg L'Avoue on the 30th June 1916, and so I attended the commemoration ceremony at St Vaast Post Military Cemetery which contains a number of South Downs dead from that day.

It's not hard to find touching inscriptions on headstones on the Western Front but I was particularly struck by this one on the headstone of Ernest Coppard. It reads, "Safe from the fume and fret / You whom I never forget".

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission notes that Ernest was the son of Albert and Sarah Coppard, and the husband of Alice Emily Coppard of 26 Seville Street, Elm Grove, Brighton. The words on the headstone were chosen by Alice and cost her 11 shillings and 11 pence to have chiselled into the Portland stone. Ernest was 29 years old, a Brighton-born man who enlisted at Hove in February 1915. He and Alice had been married for under a year when he was killed in action. General Register Office marriage records show that he married Alice Gearing in Brighton in the third quarter of 1915 and so he would have spent precious little time with her before sailing for France in early 1916.

Alice Coppard never re-married. She appears on the 1939 Register, still living at 26 Seville Street and working as a book-sewer in a public library. Her widowed mother, Florence Gearing, was also living with her. She died in Brighton in 1972 at the age of 85. At the time of her death she had been a widow for 55 years. There were no children from her all-too-brief marriage to Ernest.

30th June 1916 - The South Down Battalions at The Boar's Head

A day before the British Army suffered its worst ever casualties, my thoughts always turn to the men of the South Down Battalions (the 11th, 12th and 13th Battalions, Royal Sussex Regiment) and their disastrous diversionary attack on the Boar's Head fortifications at Richebourg.

Edmund Blunden (pictured), an officer with the 11th Battalion, held back in reserve, sums up the debacle with a few well-chosen words:

"So the attack on the Boar's Head closed, and so closed the admirable youth or maturity of many a Sussex worthy.

"Even now, we apprehended that a fresh forlorn hope might be demanded of the Brigade. What the Brigade felt was summed up by some sentry who, asked by the general next morning what he thought of the attack, answered in the roundest fashion, "Like a butcher's shop." Our own trenches had been knocked silly, and all the area of the attack had been turned into an Aceldama. Every prominent point behind, Factory Trench, Chocolate Menier Corner and so on, was now unkindly ploughed up with heavy shells. Road and tracks, hitherto securely pastoral, were blocked and exposed. The communique that morning, when in the far and as yet strange-seeming South a holocaust was roaring, like our own experience extended for mile upon mile, referred to the Boar's Head massacre somehow thus; "East of Richebourg a strong raiding party penetrated the enemy's third line". Perhaps, too, it claimed prisoners; for we were told that three Germans had found their way "to the Divisional Cage"".

Edmund Blunden continues:

"Our affair had been a catspaw, a "holding attack" to keep German guns and troops away from the great gamble of the Somme. This purpose, previously concealed from us with success, was unachieved, for just as our main artillery pulled out and marched southward after the battle, so did the German; and only a battalion or two of reserve infantry was needed opposite us to secure a harmless little salient."

Today, 99 years after those catastrophic events, a day still recognised as "The Day that Sussex Died", I remember the men of the South Down battalions.

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

L/9782 Pte Henry Pellett, 2nd Bn, Royal Sussex Regt

L/9782 Private Henry Pellett of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment was killed in action on the 29th September 1914. He was born in Stone, Kent and enlisted at Chichester on the 3rd November 1911. De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour notes that he was the son of James Pellett of Stone Ferry, although the Commonwealth War Graves Commission adds no additional personal information.

Surviving papers in the WO 363 series note that Henry originally joined the Territorials. On the 29th October 1910 he joined the 5th (Cinque Ports) Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment at Rye and was given the number 1271. His stated age was 17 years and his trade was farm labourer. He remained with the Territorials until the 3rd August the following year when, now aged 18 years and six months, he joined the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, also at Rye. He was given a new number: 1419. During his time with the Territorial Force he completed two weeks' annual training at Hassocks in July. His father is also noted on his papers as his next of kin with an address at Church Cottages, Stone Ferry.

Henry was reported missing in action on the 29th September and later confirmed as killed on this day. His body was recovered and he now lies in Vendresse British Cemetery in France.

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

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

The day Sussex died

3oth June 1916. The Boar's Head, Richebourg.

SD/1637 Charlie Hodges, back row, far left, was killed in action on this day whilst serving with the 12th (Service) Battalion (2nd South Down), Royal Sussex Regiment. The photo dates from happier times and shows the Newick School cricket team in 1909. You can read more about this on my Chailey 1914-1918 blog.

Charles Hodges was born in Newick, Sussex and joined the 2nd South Down Battalion at Lewes in November 1914. At the time of his death he was 20 years old. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission notes that he was the son of the late G Hodges.

Charles has no known grave and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial. He was one of over 1100 casualties sustained by the Sussex Regiment's South Down battalions that morning. You can read more about their attack on the Boar's Head on my Chailey website.

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

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

SD/1051 Pte Herbert H Hobbs, 11th Bn, Royal Sussex Regiment

SD/1051 Private Herbert Henry Hobbs of the 11th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, was killed in action on the 29th June 1916; one day before the South Down battalions would suffer catastrophic casualties in a diversionary attack on the Boar's Head. Herbert was 21 years old, the son of Mrs Mary Ann Hobbs of 83 Bexhill Road, West St. Leonards, Hastings. He is buried in St Vaast Post Military Cemetery at Richebourg L'Avoue in France.

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

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

G/4926 Pte Arthur Voice, 7th Bn, Royal Sussex Regt

G/4926 Private Arthur Voice of the 7th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, was killed in action on the 8th April 1916. He was a Sussex man, born in Newhaven and living in Brighton when he enlisted there on the 14th January 1915. He gave his address as 8 Bedford Building, Kemp Town, and his trade as "Indoor Porter". He was 19 years and six months old, five feet seven inches tall, and with good physical development. His father, William, is recorded as his next of kin.

Arthur was posted to the 3rd Battalion on the 21st January 1915 and then to the 7th Battalion on the 23rd June. He arrived in France the same day. He was posted missing on the 8th April 1916 and in March 1917 his death was accepted for official purposes.

Arthur Voice has no known grave and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial.

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

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

1390 Henry Monk, 2nd Bn, Royal Sussex Regt

1390 Henry Monk of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, died of wounds on the 20th January 1915 after a little over two weeks in France. He'd arrived there on the 4th January 1915.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission notes Henry's number as 9/1390, Soldiers Died in The Great War gives G/1390, whilst his medal index card is unclear and could be 3/1390 or G/1390. Henry was 18 years old when he died and so we can pretty much rule out the 3/ prefix as he would have been too young when this number was issued to a man joining the Special Reserve. The 9th (Service) Battalion did not go overseas until April 1915 although of course, men had been joining the newly forming battalions since war was declared, and G/1390 would have been issued to a man joining up in early September 1914. Nevertheless it seems remarkable that a man who had joined as new and inexperienced recruit in September 1914, would find himself side by side with the regulars just five months later. That, however, would appear to be what happened in Henry's case.

Soldiers Died notes that Henry was born in Beckley and enlisted at Hastings. CWGC adds that he was the son of Mrs. Annie Carman of Winchelsea Road, Rye, Sussex and that he was a native of Horn's Cross, Northiam, Sussex. He is buried in Beuvry Communal Cemetery in France.

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

8971 Sgt Edgar Milton, 2nd Bn, Royal Sussex Regt

8971 Sergeant Edgar Milton, of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, was killed in action on the 28th December 1914. He was 26 years old and the son of Mr G R and Mrs J Milton of 75, Dudley Road, Eastbourne.

Sergeant Milton, who was born in Brighton, had originally joined the Royal Sussex Regiment at Eastbourne on the 8th January 1908. He was eighteen years and eleven months old and a labourer by trade. He stood five feet, ten and a half inches tall, weighed 135 pounds, had a pale complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. He also had an inch long scar on the top of his head. His religion is noted on his surviving papers as Wesleyan.

Edgar Milton was appointed temporary lance-sergeant on the 28th September 1914, and sergeant (temporary) on the 28th December 1914. He was killed at La Bassee and is commemorated by name on the Le Touret memorial. His military character is noted as "very good" and, from a civil employment point of view, "thoroughly reliable and trustworthy". In July 1914 however, he had applied to extend his period of army service to complete 12 years with the Colours and therefore, as it turned out, would have no need of civil employment. When Britain went to war and the Royal Sussex Regiment sailed for France, Edgar - with his two good conduct chevrons sewed onto his lower left sleeve - sailed with them. He arrived on the French mainland on the 12th August 1914.

Edgar's older brother William James Milton also served in the 2nd Royal Sussex Regiment (he joined in September or October 1902) and like Edgar, he too arrived overseas with the battalion on the 12th August 1914. He though, survived the war and was discharged as no longer physically fit for war service in November 1917.

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

L/7627 Pte Alfred Edmund Pilbeam, 2nd Bn, Royal Sussex Regt

As of today, 232 British military personnel have died in Afghanistan since operations began in 2001. On this one day - 14th November - during the First World War, the number of British army deaths was as follows:

1914 - 220 deaths
1915 - 133 deaths
1916 - 989 deaths
1917 - 281 deaths
1918 - 167 deaths

Staggering. Truly staggering. One day out of 365.

L/7627 Private Alfred Edmund Pilbeam of the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment was mourned by his family when he was killed in action at Ypres on the 14th November 1914. His entry in De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour notes that he was married, and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission adds that he was 29 years old, the son of Alfred Edmund and Lydia Pilbeam, of 32 Newhaven Street, Brighton, and the husband of Christina Pilbeam of 8 Eastport Lane, Southover, Lewes. He had married Christina in 1907 and it would seem reasonable that the couple had children, although I don't know this for sure.

Alfred arrived overseas on the 7th October 1914. Judging by his army number he had joined the Royal Sussex Regiment around October 1903 and was therefore almost certainly a recalled reservist. The address on his medal index card gives 25 Franklin Street, Lewes Road, Brighton and was presumably where his widow was living when the clasp to his 1914 Star was dispatched in 1920.

Soldiers Died in The Great War states that Alfred was born in St Peter's, Sussex and enlisted in Brighton. His name does not appear on the Lewes War Memorial but may appear elsewhere.

Like so many WW1 soldiers, Alfred has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate at Ypres.

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
De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour
Soldiers Died in The Great War

G/18011 Pte Frederick Wilbur Cannon, 13th Royal Sussex Regt

G/18011 Pte Frederick Wilbur Cannon of the 13th Royal Sussex Regiment died on 5th July 1918. Soldiers Died in The Great War - which incorrectly records his middle names Wilbar - notes that he "died" on this date, as opposed to be killed in action or dying of wounds.

According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website, he was 29 years old, the son of Mrs Mary Ann Cannon, of 37, Station Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex. He is buried in the Sedan (St Charles) Communal Cemetery; grave reference 306.

Although Frederick's First World War service record does not appear to have survived, it's possible to make an educated guess about some of his service from his one surviving document - his medal index card. This records two numbers: 3281 and G/18011. The first number almost certainly belongs to the series used by the 2/5th Royal Sussex Regiment and would have been issued in the first half of 1915. Frederick, and other 2/5th Royal Sussex men were then transferred - whilst overseas in France - to the 13th Battalion. This transfer took place on 1st September 1916. It's also clear that Frederick did not go overseas until 1st January 1916 at the earliest, because his medal index card only notes entitlement to the British War and Victory medals.

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

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (Medal index card)
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in the Great War