Lives of the First World War
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The Day Sussex Died - The Dead, Missing, and Wounded
The Day Sussex Died - The Dead, Missing, and Wounded
The 11th, 12th and 13th Battalions of the Royal Sussex Regiment, consisting of approximately 4,500 men, were known colloquially as “Lowther’s Lambs”. This was a reference to local MP Claude Lowther, who had taken personal responsibility for raising the battalions. The 12th and 13th Battalions, supported by the 11th, were sacrificed in a diversionary raid on the Boar’s Head salient at Richebourg on 30th June 1916 in an attempt to draw German attention away from the main Somme battle area further south. The Battle at Boar’s Head lasted less than five hours, but the Southdowns Brigade lost 17 officers and 349 other ranks. Over 1,000 men were wounded or taken prisoner, and the 13th Battalion was all but wiped out. June 30th 1916 was subsequently known as “The Day Sussex Died”. This community remembers the lives of those men of the South Downs Battalions who died, or were reported as missing, wounded, or taken prisoner on that day. More information about the battle is available at http://www.royalsussex.org.uk/richebourg.htm . There is also an excellent book called "The Day Sussex Died", by the late John A Baines, which has been used as a major source of information about the men in this community. ( I've also set up separate communities for each of the 3 battalions, which include those who served and survived, as well as those who were killed or wounded ... 11th Battalion: https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/community/2855 ... 12th Battalion: https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/community/2856 ... 13th Battalion: https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/community/2857 )
Created by: , Yvonne27542
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Died 1916
British Army SD/1487 Private Royal Sussex Regiment
More about Sidney H Walker -
Born 1879
British Army 272 Sergeant Royal Sussex Regiment 11th Battalion
More about Alfred Simmons -
British Army SD/2361 Private Royal Sussex Regiment
British Army G/6357 Private Royal Sussex Regiment
More about Richard Farnfield -
British Army SD/4950 Private Royal Sussex Regiment 11th Battalion
More about Arthur William Brown -
British Army SD/2892 Private Royal Sussex Regiment
British Army G/6434 Private Royal Sussex Regiment
More about Herbert W Dann -
Born 1891
Died 1916
British Army SD/3486 Private Royal Sussex Regiment 13th (3rd South Downs) Battalion
More about Hubert Winchester -
British Army 1696 Private Royal Sussex Regiment
British Army G/58648 Private Middlesex Regiment
More about Reginald E Henson -
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Born 1880
Died 1916
British Army Second Lieutenant Royal Sussex Regiment 11th Battalion
More about Francis Julius M Grisewood -
Died 1916
British Army SD/1846 Private Royal Sussex Regiment 12th Battalion
More about Herbert Perigoe -
Died 1916
British Army SD/3351 Private Royal Sussex Regiment
More about Ernest Francis Henry Gillman -
Born 1895
Died 1916
British Army SD/4030 Private Royal Sussex Regiment
More about George Johnson -
Born 1894
Died 1918
British Army SD/3285 Corporal Royal Sussex Regiment
British Army G/6667 Corporal Royal Sussex Regiment
More about Marcus Ebenezer Banfield -
Born 1897
Died 1916
British Army SD/1648 Private Royal Sussex Regiment
British Army SD/1648 Private Royal Sussex Regiment 12th Bn.
More about Albert Henry Gregory -
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British Army SD/1689 Lance Corporal Royal Sussex Regiment royal sussex regiment 9th Battalion
More about George S Gilbert -
Born 1897
British Army SD/3001 Private Royal Sussex Regiment
British Army 45702 Lance Corporal Royal Defence Corps 55th Protection Company
More about Henry James Richardson -
Born 1879
Died 1916
British Army Honourable Artillery Company
British Army Captain Royal Sussex Regiment 12th Battalion
More about Aubrey Nightingale Cotton -
British Army SD/2927 Private Royal Sussex Regiment
British Army G/6335 Private Royal Sussex Regiment
More about Frank Hurst