Gnr Herbert Childs, RFA, 29th Ammunition Park

[michaeldr]

Remembered today on the G W F

from the CWGC

Name: CHILDS, HERBERT

Initials: H

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Gunner

Regiment/Service: Royal Field Artillery

Unit Text: 29th Ammunition Park

Age: 20

Date of Death: 11/07/1915 (SDGW informs: KiA)

Service No: 86647

Additional information: Son of Richard and Eliza Childs, of 76, Park St., St. Albans, Herts.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: D. 77.

Cemetery: LANCASHIRE LANDING CEMETERY

Death at Gallipoli took not only those in the front-line trenches

but also back areas, base establishments and rest-areas etc. etc.

from the British Military Operations - Gallipoli; vol.II, page 99

"Meanwhile a fresh anxiety had arisen in the southern zone. By the first week of July the Turkish fire on the Allied beaches and back areas had become a serious menace. The French corps, on the Dardanelles side of the peninsula, was particularly exposed to this fire, and the knowledge that all their base establishments, beaches and rest camps were within effective range of the enemy's guns, and that General Gouraud himself had been wounded on V Beach, was adversely affecting morale of the French troops.

At the southern end of the peninsula there were no 'rest camps' in the ordinary sense of the term, but merely small areas of ground, closely covered with a grid-iron of trenches to give resting troops such cover as was possible from the harassing artillery fire. Generally the trenches in these camps were dug roughly parallel to the Achi Baba ridge, from the summit of which they were in most cases under direct observation. Some of them were thus, as a choice of two evils, enfiladed by Turkish guns on the Asiatic shore. The trenches were seldom roofed in, for the scant supplies of material were needed in the forward lines; and the only protection their occupants could obtain from the scorching rays of the sun consisted of blankets or waterproof sheets thrown across the top. Casualties in the rest-areas were just as frequent as in the front line."

[Andrew P]

Hi Michael

Thanks for putting his details up. I will have to remember to pay my respects when I visit Helles next month.

Regards

Andrew

[michaeldr]

That would be very nice Andrew

You guys should have a great time

I too hope to be staying nearby, but in September

If its not too early, then, bon voyage

Michael