Lt. Horace Stead Lancashire Fus. KIA 3/26/18 Help?

[rhimsl]

Since you guys (and ladies) are the best I have a request for help regarding 2nd Lt. Horace S. Stead of the 1st/2nd Lancashire Fusiliers. He as killed in action on March 26, 1918 while attached to the 17th Battalion. Does anyone out there have any ideas of the circumstances of his death? I can't seem to find the whereabouts of the 17th Battalion during this time. Can only find vague information in regards to the Lancashire Fusiliers during the March Offensive. He has no known grave. Any and all help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Robert

[John_Hartley]

Robert

Have you tried the regimental museum at Bury? They have most of the war diaries. There's also a very good LF history.

John

[rhimsl]

John,

Thanks for the information. I will start there.

Robert

[Mark Hone]

17th Battalion were, as you probably know,originally the 1st South-East Lancashire Bantam battalion, raised in January 1915.On 26th March 1918 they were involved in a desperate fighting retreat in the face of the German advance near Maricourt and Bray-Sur-Somme, in conjunction with their sister South-East Lancashire battalion the 18th.They were part of 35th Division which had been rushed from Belgium to reinforce the hard-pressed Fifth Army. If you wish I can send you a photocopy of the relevant extract from the Regimental history. E-mail me off forum with your address. As John Hartley says it is worth checking if the LF museum in Bury has the war diary-they don't have them for all the WW1 battalions.