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From: "Tom Tulloch-Marshall" <>
Subject: Re: [WW1] Events in Fricourt Aug 1918
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 16:48:05 -0000
References: <01f201c2c659$47c24c20$19317ad5@oemcomputer>


Lynda - everything looks right for your man having been with 2nd Bedfords
when he was killed (but both CWGC and SDITGW give the date as 25th Aug 1918,
not the 24th) - Malcolm mentioned The Battle of Albert, which is correct,
and in fact 2nd Beds (attachments as Malcolm's advice) were in the area
about Belviewe Farm and Black Wood from 22nd August onwards - very close to
Fricourt, and very heavy fighting taking place in the area at that time.

2nd Beds were back from the immediate front on the 25th and "only" suffered
five fatal casualties that day - two died of wounds in rear areas and three
killed in action. Two of those, including Frederick, are named at Vis en
Artois, and the other, Pte 18085 Ernest W Haines, is buried in Gordon Dump
Military Cemetery. That's a connection for you - you could throw a stone
from the southern edge if Fricourt village and it would land beside Gordon
Dump. (I exaggerate slightly - but the two are very close to each other).

The cut-off date for commemorations on the Poziers Memorial was the 7th of
August 1918 - you will immediately see how that links to Malcolm's advice re
the Vis en Artois Memorial.

Royal Corps of Signals didn't exist at this time - they weren't formed till
28/6/20. Far more likely that your man could have been a Battalion signaller
in 2nd Beds.

As there were relatively few Bn casualties on the 25th, and the Bn weren't
in the front line, you stand a chance that the Bn diarist recorded the
deaths / cause.
regards
--
Tom Tulloch-Marshall
Great War Military Research
http://www.btinternet.com/~prosearch/index.html



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