Second Lieutenant Richard Reeve Emmens - Trench Mortar Battery

[Fi Shepherd]

Delighted to share.  Yes of course, I will let you know if I discover anything else!  Best wishes, Fi

[Joanna S]

Dear Fi, Thank you for posting all those letters, I have found it incredibly moving reading through them. I am Judith's eldest daughter and wanted to share a photo of a gold spider pendant which was found on Dick's body and was eventually sent back to his mother with his personal effects. We have never known anything more about it than that. It has been passed down the family and now belongs to my eldest son, Harry. Having read through the letters, and particularly the one of 28/8/1917, it is comforting to think that Jessie did eventually have some personal items returned to her.

[WhiteStarLine]

It's a moving story and wonderful to hear of so many descendants actively taking an interest.  Here is where the body was originally recovered from (and presumably the spider pendant).

[Pikeypi]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!   It's been really moving reading it all and finding out the spot where he died. 

I bought everything together today in a couple of montages which I printed for Mum.  I'd love to add to it, or if I have misunderstood anything I can change it.  It's a bit confusing isn't it with poor Jessie trying to find out what happened to him and settle his affairs.  Poor (but determined) woman.  I also found a trench map of the area and pinpointed his death spot on it.

We really are very grateful to find out all of this, you have done such a lot of careful research.  I am now determined to go to visit the area in July of this year with my kids.  Thank you so much.   Pi

[mandy hall]

I have been reading this thread with interest.  I have also visited Richard’s grave in Caterpillar Valley Cemetery.  I purchased Richard’s Victory Medal 2 years ago, because of his connection to the 7th Royal Sussex Regiment and a trench mortar battery.   My great uncle Harry Francis Hall served with 7th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, joining in Chichester, on 30th August 1914.  When he died in May 1918, he was attached to the 36th Trench Mortar Battery.  I am about to send a Private Message to you @judith m.

Mandy

[Fi Shepherd]

Oh my, what a great example of the power of this forum in bringing people together.

Joanna, Judith and Pi - I'm so delighted that you have found the research of interest, and thank you for sharing your own amazing and unique updates.  The montages are terrific.  I've offered you the summary of my analysis here, but have over 100 pages of the underpinning raw data (war diaries, medal returns etc), which of course I'd be delighted to share with you, if you would wish to go back to the first principles yourselves.  Please pm me if this would be of interest. I do hope you get out there this summer - please do let me know if you are, on the off chance that I'm out there also!

WSL - amazing to see the visual of where Richard was initially recovered from, thank you.

Mandy - similarly amazing that you are tracking this thread!

Best,

Fi

[Pikeypi]

I am blown away again!  Thank you all so much.  Jessie's letters and knowing how and where he died and piecing together what happened after, and now to see his medal (this is lovely to see Mandy thank you for posting and for telling us a bit about your Great Uncle Harry, I'd love to hear more about him too) and the fact that you are all so intrigued and care about finding out about him and have even visited him.  I only wish my father was here to read all this too, he would have been as moved and as grateful as we are. 

I can change my dates to go out to see his grave to any time Fi, I would love to meet up with you and, if I may, see your research.   I'll message you.  This truly has been a wonderful couple of days, Jessie would have no doubt loved the tenacity shown in piecing it all together!  When you read how many at Catterpillar Cemetery are unidentified, we really are very lucky to have this legacy.  I am so excited to find out more and thank you all again, I will add the gravestone with his Victory Medal to my montage ... that really was lovely that you took it out to his grave.   Richard Emmens (Great Uncle Dick) 'lest we forget' ... not on our watch!!