1/3rd Bn. London regiment (royal fusiliers) 8th Oct. 1916

[onlyme]

hi

Looking for a bit of info on a soldier's location.

I have a medal for John Frank Boseley 3rd London Regiment service numbers 2757 and 250818. He was killed in action on the Somme on 8th October 1916.

I was just wondering does anyone know where the 1/3rd royal fusiliers were on that date and if they were involved in an action on that day?

thanks in advance

ian

[bmac]

They were involved in a failed attack on Spectrum Trench part of the battle of the Le Transloy ridges on the Somme. There is no history for the 3rd Londons and only the 7th Middlesex from the 167th brigade has one. I will see of that or the other battalions in the 56th Division has anything.

Edit: An attack by the 167th Brigade was launched on the 7th October and the 7th Middlesex enjoyed great success with 77 prisoners being taken from the 84th Bavarian Regt. The 1st Londons on the right of the attack had a tougher time with its left company getting into the German lines but the right company being held up my MG fire. During the evening a counter attack forced the 168th Brigade on the right back to their original positions leaving the 7th Middx isolated in the German lines. At 3.30 p.m. on the 8th the 3rd Londons attacked the area previously attacked by the 1st Londons but by 10.30 p.m. all troops were back in their original positions. During this attack the 7th Middx lost 30 men under their own bombardment but they held until relieved by the Queens Westminsters (169th Brigade) later that night. The 56th Division was relieved on the 9th.