9th Norfolks at The Quadrilateral 15/09/1916

[Bob Davies]

5 hours ago, PRC said:

My notes on the attack by the 16th Brigade says that many of those attacking were forced to take shelter in shell holes. Given the clear lane left for the tanks, one wonders if that was a luxury denied to the Leicesters and Norfolks

I have just been going through the 2nd Sherwoods and 1st Leicesters WDs, quite easy to read and I think will support what you say. 15th-9-16; After the Leicesters go past/through  the Sherwoods positions they are soon held up (about 650 yards) by MG fire and have to dig in among the shell holes. The Sherwoods then follow the Leicesters and have to dig in amongst the shell holes about 150 yards to their rear, again being pinned by MG fire. A patrol is sent out and finds a trench with a mass of wire to their front which will stop them and the Leicesters. EDIT; I forgot to say that no one knew that it was there, partly because of the poor visability. 10pm the Sherwoods say; 'they have been heavily shelled during the day at short intervals' So not a good place to be stuck. 2nd Sherwoods WO 95 1624-2   1st Leicesters WO95 1621 1 _2            PM sent to you. Cheers, Bob.

Edited 17 September , 2022 by Bob Davies

[aengland]

Bob

Another one to add to your list is Albert Victor Bray

BRAY

Albert Victor

Private (Memorial has Lance Corporal) 22958. 9th Battalion Norfolk Regiment. Died of wounds at home on 10th February 1917. Aged 20. Born St. Margaret’s, King’s Lynn. Enlisted King’s Lynn. Son of the late William and Margaret Bray, of Holt. Buried in HOLT, NORFOLK BURIAL GROUND. Ref. C. 549.

 

He was wounded, as I understand it, on 15 September to then be brought home and subsequently he died on 10 February 1917... obviously quite some time later.  I believe (and somewhere in my notes I have it for certain) he had a severe facial wound. He is on the Heacham (Norfolk) War Memorial, is buried in Holt (where his parents had moved, to live with their daughter) and he is remembered on the Holt war memorial.   Somewhere I have a poor photograph of him taken from the local newspaper.  

His headstone gives the wrong date I beleive.

Andrew

 

[PRC]

54 minutes ago, aengland said:

He was wounded, as I understand it, on 15 September to then be brought home and subsequently he died on 10 February 1917.

Thanks for that - I've not come across him on the casualty list that appeared on page 11 of the edition of The Times dated Thursday, November 2, 1916 but sometimes I do wonder if they spread the release out from the records office in order to mask the true extent of the losses. The numbers shown as wounded is much smaller than either those shown as killed or missing.Just tried a search for Bray but so far have struck out on finding him in the official casualty lists. Would be good to find the original report of his wounding in the OCL as that might reveal other casualties.

Albert and Charles are on both the Town War Memorial in Holt:-

And the one in the church of St Andrew the Apostle.

Cheers,
Peter

[aengland]

Charles is his brother... who is also on the memorial at Holt and Heacham, and is remembered on Albert's headstone.  

Andrew

[Bob Davies]

1 hour ago, aengland said:

Bob

Another one to add to your list is Albert Victor Bray

Thank you Andrew, the thread belongs to PRC /Peter, I have just tagged along to add my bit which is part of my research. It is all good to have in the one place, thanks again. Best Wishes, Bob.

[aengland]

Quote

 

Thanks Bob, sorry Peter!

Andrew

Edited 19 September , 2022 by aengland