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| Theatre of War |
Medals |
Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial |
| France and Flanders |
1914-15 Star, British War & Victory Medals |
Beauval Communal Cemetery |
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| Arrived in Theatre |
Medal Citation (if app) |
SWFHS Area Memorials |
| 6 Mar 1915 in France |
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Long Lawford |
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Newbold on Avon |
| Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed |
Date and Place Enlisted |
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| Local Actions on the Somme |
1913/14 in Rugby (see below) |
Other War Memorials |
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| Place of Death |
Previous Regiments or Units |
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| 4th CCS at Beauval |
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Original Enlisted
Sydney enlisted at some stage between 7th January 1913 and 31st March 1914 when service #'s 2253 and 2520 were issued
Circumstances of Death
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Sydney is listed as dying of his wounds on 24 Jun 1916 and was buried at Beauval Communal Cemetery which at that time was being used by the 4th Casualty Clearing Station to bury those who had died there. We are not certain when Sydney was wounded and the 1st Battalion Statement of Casualties for the period 19th to the 24th is transcribed below. The Battalion had moved into the front lines on the 18th and the war Battalion war diary entries for the 18th to 24th June 1916 are also transcribed below.
Statement of Casualties
| Date |
Officers
Killed |
Other Ranks
Killed |
Officers
Wounded |
OR
Wounded |
Officers
Missing |
OR
Missing |
| 18th |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 19th |
0 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
| 20th |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 21st |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| 22nd |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 23rd |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
| 24th |
2 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| 25th |
0 |
10 |
0 |
51 |
0 |
0 |
War Diary 18th, 19th & 20th
18th June – Mailly-Maillet: Battalion relieved 2nd R Dub Fus in the trenches in the Auchonvillers sector. Relief completed 5.25pm. Very quiet night.
19th June – Trenches – Auchonvillers: Two patrols sent out night of 18th. B Coy bombed crater near Redan, no Germans seen. Between 2.45pm & 3.30pm our front line was shelled byu 4.2’s. 10 casualties, (6 A Coy, 4 B Coy) one since died of wounds (Pte Allen). About 20 whizz bangs were fired into B Coy sector also Trench Mortars, no damage. Wind NW. 2nd Lieut F.N.H. Beamish joined.
20th June – Trenches – Auchonvillers: Quiet day. Few shells fired into A Coy sector (Field Guns). British Aeroplane brought down near Serre by enemy anti-aircraft guns. Work on front line and assembly trenches continued.
War Diary 21st & 22nd
21st June – Trenches – Auchonvillers: A & B Coys come in for a good deal of shelling in the morning, 1 killed, 1 wounded in B Coy. Usual trains and transport heard behind Beaumont- Hamel. Auchonvillers is shelled about 12.30am with 8”, only about 5 were fired.
22nd June – Trenches – Auchonvillers: Enemy artillery about normal. 15 heavy trench mortars fell in C coy left, no damage. Bad thunderstorms which made trenches very wet and muddy.
War Diary 23rd & 24th
23rd June – Trenches – Auchonvillers: Quiet morning, little shelling in the afternoon
24th June – Trenches – Auchonvillers: 5 days bombardment started prior to great push. Enemy retaliation weak. At 10pm Gas was discharged from our front line but was stopped at 11pm owing to wind being unfavourable. The enemy put down a very heavy barrage about 10.30pm on our front and support lines and very heavy fire was kept up till 1.30am [25th]. The trenches were damaged a good deal. Enemy fired 5.9’s; 4.2’s and Whizz Bangs.
The gas did not seem to have much effect on the Germans. Our casualties were heavy mostly owing to shell fire but one or two from the gas that was blown back into our line.
2nd Lieuts Lukey and Gamble killed and 2nd Lieuts Giles and Pugh wounded.
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