Channel Crossing to France

[halfpenny]

Hi

This is my first post (hampered by Internet Explorer twice throwing me off this page whilst using a cut and paste!)

I am researching my Geat Uncle Henry Halfpenny pvt 8th Bn north Staffordshire Regiment SN 40512 KIA 18th November 1916 near Thiepval.

Searching thje service records I found a form which seemed blank save for a smudge in the middle. returing to this paper I flipped the image and discovered that the "smudge was a rubber stamp (obviously compiled incorrectly) showing

Folkestone 3/9/16

Boulogne 3/9/16

I hope this is not too trivial a point

Best wishes to all

You are all helping me to get really stuck into the subject

[stevem49]

It look like his boat trip across the Channel to the Western front. By ship from Folkestone to Boulogne on 3 Sept 1916.

His papers or MIC should give an entry into Theatre around the same time.

Steve M

[halfpenny]

Thanks Steve

From my research and the fact that Henry Halfpenny is commemorated on the Tiepval memorial pier and face 14B and 14C and the date of his death as 18th November 1916 I have deduced (I hope correctly) that as the 8th Batallion North Staffordshire were part of 57th Brigade he probably fell in the taking of Regina Trench. I wonder, if he is recorded on the Memorial might he also have a marked grave at Grancourt Road Cemetry or, are those names at Thiepval for those whos body was never identified.

[stevem49]

He will have no known grave but may well be buried in an 'Unknown' soldiers grave in a cemetery nearby.

Try a thread about the Battalion and war diaries as there are some North Staffs experts.

On 18th Nov - 8th NS entered the German trenches west of Stump Road and pressed on a considerable distance, but most were cut off and captured. Only 70 managed to escape in small parties, coming up Battery Valley much later. (Chris McCarthy - The Somme Day by day account). That would make them forward of Stuff trench with Regina on their right.

Steve M

ps try - http://www.britishwargraves.co.uk/ for a photo.