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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Born 1882
Died 1916
British Army SD/1808 Private Royal Sussex Regiment
British Army SD/1808 Private Royal Sussex 12th Batt
More about Walter Beckett Hide -
Born 1888
Died 1916
British Army SD/3034 Private Royal Sussex Regiment
British Army SD/3034 Lance Corporal Royal Sussex Regiment 13th Bn.
More about Claude Leonard Toye -
Born 1881
Died 1916
British Army SD/3427 Lance Corporal Royal Sussex Regiment 13th (3rd South Downs) Battalion
More about Albert Plummer -
Born 1876
Died 1918
British Army SD/2451 Private Royal Sussex Regiment 7th Battalion
More about Ernest Alfred James -
Born 1884
Died 1916
British Army SD/1887 Serjeant Royal Sussex Regiment 12th (2nd Southdowns) Battalion
More about Alfred Thomas Harris -
Born 1879
Died 1916
British Army SD/3692 Private Royal Sussex Regiment
More about William Stephen Smith -
Born 1885
British Army SD/2134 Private Royal Sussex Regiment 12th (2nd Southdowns) Battalion
More about Christopher Burden -
Born 1891
Died 1916
British Army SD/490 Private Royal Sussex Regiment 11th (1st South Downs) Battalion
More about Arthur White -
Born 1891
Died 1916
British Army SD/2864 Private Royal Sussex Regiment 13th (3rd South Downs) Battalion
More about Henry Thomas Burgess -
Born 1890
Died 1916
British Army SD/1407 Private Royal Sussex Regiment 12th (2nd South Downs) Battalion
More about Alexander George Mewett -
Born 1892
Died 1916
British Army SD/1256 Private Royal Sussex Regiment 12th (2nd South Downs) Battalion
More about Karl Barton -
Born 1886
Died 1916
British Army SD/1406 Private Royal Sussex Regiment 12th (2nd South Downs) Battalion
More about Walter George Mercer -
Born 1895
Died 1916
British Army SD/1467 Private Royal Sussex Regiment 12th (2nd South Downs) Battalion
More about Herbert Jenner Staplehurst -
Born 1892
Died 1916
British Army SD/1778 Private Royal Sussex Regiment 12th Battalion
British Army SD/1778 Lance Corporal Royal Sussex Regiment 12th Battalion
More about Albert Victor Randell -
Born 1884
Died 1916
British Army SD/922 Private Royal Sussex Regiment
British Army SD/922 Lance Corporal Royal Sussex Regiment 11th (1st South Downs) Battalion
More about James Fuller -
Born 1889
British Army SD/3381 Private Royal Sussex Regiment
More about Ernest Sidney Kenward -
Born 1888
Died 1939
British Army 36179 Private Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment
British Army SD/1605 Private Royal Sussex Regiment 12th (2nd South Downs) Battalion
More about George Lade -
Born 1876
British Army 3148 Private Royal Sussex Regiment Depot
British Army 3148 Private Royal Sussex Regiment 3rd Battalion
British Army 3148 Private Royal Sussex Regiment Depot
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More about Albert Edward Johnson -
Died 1916
British Army SD/2875 Private Royal Sussex Regiment 13th Battalion
More about George Cloake -
Born 1887
Died 1918
British Army SD/3393 Private Royal Sussex Regiment
British Army G/6690 Private Royal Sussex Regiment
More about Herbert Lockyer Martin