2nd Royal Sussex, Munster Alley, 100 Years Ago today

[Jim Hastings]

Remembering the 7 officers and 109 Other Ranks of A and B Coys. 2nd Bn Royal Sussex who became casualties this day in 1916 in an attempt to attack Munster Alley. Of these 116 men, the following were killed:

2/Lt Alexander Cooper Smith

2/Lt Joseph Adams

L/Sgt Walter Thornton

Cpl Ernest Williams

L/Cpl George Hilton and Frank Scutt

Ptes Charles Archer; Frederick Boniface; Ernest Brook; Sidney Brown; Robert Bush;

Ernest Clark; James Holloway; Albert Keep; Charles Ledword; Thomas Lind;

Ernest Ockenden; Oliver Page; Arthur Pierce; George Pumfrey; Herbert Sendall;

Charles Shambrook; Alfred Skeet and Alfred Windmill

 

Cpl Robert Sloan DCM and Pte James Taylor were to die from their wounds the following day, 24th July 1916.

Remembered this day, 100 years on

 

Alongside their fellow 2nd Bde fallen comrades from the 2nd KRRC, 1st Northants and 1st Loyals who took part in and supported the attack The Bde had 516 casualties.

 

The Battalion and Brigade War Diaries tells us that the 2nd Royal Sussex, the left assaulting battalion, was subjected to very heavy machine gun fire from Munster Alley and the Windmill before able to deploy once caught in German Very light glow and then intense shell fire, all before Zero Hour, 0030hrs, causing many casualties. The battalion assaulted through this intense fire, seven officers were hit, including both company commanders. Confusion reigned and the attack sadly faltered, despite 2nd KRRC successes on the right.

 

RIP all

 

JH

[Keith Iles]

Remembered always with deep and ever lasting respect