Lives of the First World War

The following statement from Robert Lucas, 9/290 8th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles is in relation to a fatal mortar accident. "At the second Army Grenade and Stokes Mortar School, Terdeghem, on 23rd September (1916), I was on parade with the Stokes Mortar Wing. We paraded about 11:30am to take part in a tactical scheme. About 12:15pm, I was one of the centre Sub-Section - I was standing about 15 to 20 paces immediately behind the mortar and I heard the Sub-Section Commander give the order to fire, this order was repeated by L/Sgt Parsons who was acting as number 1. I saw Lance-Corporal Middleton place a shell in the muzzle of the mortar to fire it. A premature Explosion occurred immediately in the mortar, which was blown to bits. I saw several men laying down wounded. We were firing 'Dummies' without fuses or detonators."

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