Pte G/262 Harry (Henry) Gooderson

[Guest R P Miller]

I have just found this relative was KIA 8/04/1916 with 7th Bn Royal Sussex regiment.

Can anybody give me any information about the 7th Bn Royal Sussex Regiment during that period of 8/04/1916. or point me in the right direction.

Im going to National Archive, Kew, London, tomorrow 14/10/05 to search for his service records, if there is any.

[ypres1418]

Give me a minute and will have the answer for you.

mandy

[ypres1418]

From the War diary.

8th April. TRENCHES.

Day very quiet till 6:30pm when Germans blew mine on our front W of crater ‘A’ WEST FACE TRENCH, HOHENZOLLERN and mine shaft there blown in. 17 miners buried in dugouts and mine shaft, all extracted except one miner who shot himself in the shaft. Germans did not attempt to occupy crater. We extended Sap 1 to Sap of new crater and cleared WEST FACE. ‘B’ coy were holding the position of front and were reinforced from ‘D’ coy in support.

Casualties Lt Sutton killed while climbing over filled in position of WEST FACE to find out what happened in Machine Gun Saps about 7:30pm. Casualties 1 Officer (Lt E.G. Sutton) and 2 Other Ranks killed, 6 missing, 39 wounded and 1 gassed.

From the History of the 7th (service) Bn

"The next day (8th) passed quietly until 6:30pm., when the Germans blew a large mine just west of crater A. West Face and the mine shafts were blown in, 17 miners being buried in the shaft and dugouts. All these miners were extricated except one man, who went mad under the strain of this ordeal and shot himself. The support company (D) was at once ordered to reinforce B, which was holding the position affected; but the enemy made no attempt to occupty this new crater, so Sap 9 was extended to its lip and West Face, was cleared where it had been blown in by the exposion. Our casualties were heavy, and included Lt E.G. Sutton, who was shot by a sniper when climbing over the filled-in portion of West Face, just after the explosion, to find out what had happened. He was a very gallant young officer, the first in the Division, it will be remembered, to receive a decoration for bravery. In addition to his loss we had 8 other ranks killed and 39 wounded."

They were in the Hohenzollern Sector.

I hope this helps you.

Mandy

[ypres1418]

Just looking at the back of the book in the roll of honour, his date of death is given as 8/8/16 although the official date is 4/8/16.

The book also gives him as being in B Coy.

If I can be of any further assistance let me know,

Mandy

[Paul Nixon]

Mandy

Sorry to hijack R P Miller's thread but would you mind looking in the diary for any reference to 2nd Lieut Thomas Victor Wood. He was KiA with the 7th at Thiepval on 4th August 1916. I have the book that you quote from above, but have not seen the war diary.

Best wishes

Paul

[ypres1418]

Paul,

Here is entry in the diary.

4th August. TRENCHES, POZIERES.

At 3am received orders to send one company over to RATION TRENCH to get in touch with 8th Royal Fusiliers and work up to the right, also one platoon to attack Strong Point on the right, after this had been captured they were to work down RATION and get in touch with ‘A’ Coy. ‘A’ Coy went too much to the left but reached RATION TRENCH finding the Buff’s already there, Col Cope, (O.C. Buffs) ordered ‘A’ Coy to push forward and take the ridge which they reached without any difficulty but were heavily counter attacked and obliged to fall back to RATION TRANCH. The platoon on the right came under heavy Machine Gun fire and were not able to capture the Strong Point.

Later in the day orders were received for two Companies to attack the right of RATION TRANCH in conjunction with attack of 9th Royal Fusiliers.

Two platoons were again to attack Strong Point on right from POZIERES TRENCH ‘B & ‘D’ Coy’s attacked across the open but lost direction, some however reached their objective and got in touch with 9th Royal Fusiliers.

The two platoons of ‘C’ Coy were unable to capture Strong Point owing to heavy Machine Gun fire. The result of this operation was that practically the whole of RATION TRENCH was captured and consolidated.

Casualties during this two days, 2nd Lt’s Wood & Le Doux Veitch killed, 2nd Lt’s Cooke, Fitzsimons & Rolfe missing, Captain Trower wounded. Other Ranks 18 killed, 25 missing, 109 wounded.

Hope this helps you.

Mandy

[Paul Nixon]

That was quick Mandy, thanks very much, it does help.

Paul

[Guest R P Miller]

UP DATE!!

I have found his Service Records.

Its recorded that he was Missing 1/05/1916. and wasnt until 10/05/1917 being classed as been Killed. But on another sheet its recorded that he was missing 7/04/1916 and under that statement it says " regarded for official purposes as having died on or since 8/04/1916.

He enlisted at Brighton 27 August 1914.

Also have got a Casulty Sheet for him which Im trying to Read.

[Stebie9173]

Is it possible for you to scan and post the Casualty Sheet?

Steve.

[Paul Reed]

A little bit about the 7th Bn on my website at:

http://battlefields1418.50megs.com/7th_royal_sussex.htm

[Guest R P Miller]

its poor quality

[ypres1418]

the battalion had been at rest from 27th April to 21st May '16 so I am not sure what those dates could mean?

If you need anymore help give me a shout and I'll see what I can do.

Mandy.