The First Surrey Rifles - Vimy Ridge - 23 May 1916

[edhistory]

Our local Battalion's day of action on the Western Front on 23 May 1916 has been overshadowed by 15 September 1916 - the day that has gone down in history as "The Hell That Was High Wood".

I have placed brief details of 23 May 1916 here.

John K

[Chener Books]

Please note that I did not place this thread in the lounge.

Thank you.

John K

[edhistory]

I have been asked to credit the writers and editors of the First Surrey Rifles War Record.

They were:

Capt. H.R.S.Coldicott

Lieut-Col. G.Dawes

Major C.W.B.Heslop

Capt. W.G.Pidsley

The War Diary entry was signed off by Brigadier-General H.B.Kennedy.

John K

[bbug]

BAKER, Rifleman, FREDERICK ALBERT, 16 years old.

The same age as me - I would have been petrified.

[edhistory]

Rifleman Baker would have had a terrifying time leading up to his death. I hope he died instantaneouly.

It is unlikely that a 16 year-old would have been ordered to go over the top in the counter-attack. More likely he would have been deployed as a trench runner.

John K

[TillieTrotter]

My Great Grandfather, Charles Laurie, was in the Surrey Rifles as an Artillery Driver. The poor bugger survived the Somme and got drafted into WW11 alongside 5 of his sons. Madness.

[katie1997]

Thanks for posting this JohnK - it makes for really interesting reading.

I couldn't make out all of the writing on Sergeant Blackman's enlistment form though I do wonder how that piece of paper managed to survive? Its very sad to think of all those young soldiers from WWI :(

[edhistory]

TillyTrotter:

You raise an important point. Received history often has one generation fighting World War One and a different generation fighting World War Two.

It will be great if the oral history project captures any stories of East Dulwich men and women who served in both wars.

katie1997:

Despite the poor quality I decided to use the enlistment form because I'd never seen one before and 1t related to 23 May 1916.

John K