shaymen Posted 2 July , 2005 Share Posted 2 July , 2005 Came across this at my local newspaper archive. Thought it might be of interest to some. Regards Glyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fuller Posted 2 July , 2005 Share Posted 2 July , 2005 Blimey Glyn you have been busy mate! Im finishing a write up for my site on the very action mentioned here! As before, is it poss to ask where it came from etc & use it please? Sorry to be a magpie but this is sheer quality to someone like me & has got me beaming from ear to ear! The Bedfords suffered 300 casualties in this attack, yet refused to give the ground theyd so dearly won. A mile of open ground under shrapnel fire, then 2 hills, one after the other. Ill bet Brighten was gutted to the core - his brother even got killed whilst leading the Btns show platoon - bless him. The texts Ive read states Shoosmith (of Harpenden) was one of the best & "led a charmed life" on 15 August. His team were knocked out to a man, yet not him! On the Friday, the Beds were giving supporting fire (to the Choc Hill attack from memory) & Shoosmith was called to Btn HQ. He was walking along the trenches to answer the call & (being tall apparently) got hit in the head by a sniper. Adored by the men & a great loss to the Btn by all accounts. Theres a pic of him in Rimmers book and also a lovely piece about Major Hill worrying that Shoosmith was the only Gun Team member left & if he got hit, no one else ould work the Lewis Guns. He dashed across to make that very point & Shoosmith cooly said "Well, you push this, pull that & thats it really". As the conversation is takng place, shrapnel is bursting & bullets whipping all around them, and all the time Shoosmith is hammering away at the Turks as he was explaining it to the Major without even looking up!!! Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 3 July , 2005 Share Posted 3 July , 2005 Did Shoosmith come from a legal family? We have a long-established local firm of solicitors called Shoosmiths & Harrison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaymen Posted 3 July , 2005 Author Share Posted 3 July , 2005 Steve As mentioned in other thread from my local newspaper archives. This one was in on Sept 25th 1915. I will e-mail you original pic - Again feel free to use it if you want. Regards Glyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fuller Posted 3 July , 2005 Share Posted 3 July , 2005 Did Shoosmith come from a legal family? We have a long-established local firm of solicitors called Shoosmiths & Harrison. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi Kate (red faced) sorry my mistake; Lt Lydekkar was from The lodge, Harpenden, Shoosmith was from Luton. I think his family were legal people though. Unfortunately, cant find te "proof" but I know Ive read it somewhere. With a name like that & the proximity, good odds the family have links I would say. Soz about the error in the first place - the memory aint what it used to be!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fuller Posted 3 July , 2005 Share Posted 3 July , 2005 Steve As mentioned in other thread from my local newspaper archives. This one was in on Sept 25th 1915. I will e-mail you original pic - Again feel free to use it if you want. Regards Glyn <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Oh yes please Glyn - ur a hero sir! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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