gommecourt

Probate records states: LIGHT Eric of Redcot Linton-road Hastings died on or since 26 March 1918 in France. Administration Lewes 20 April 1920 to Reginald Hough Light gentleman. Effects £196 17s 8d while the British Commonwealth War Graves Register states: LIGHT, 2nd Lt Eric "B" Coy, 40th Bn. Machine Gun Corps (Inf) 26th March 1918. Age 20. Son Lt Col R H Light (Indian Army, retired) and Mrs R H Light, of Redcot, Linton Road, Hastings

Familysearch has the following: name:Eric Light gender:Male baptism/christening date:04 Jul 1897 baptism/christening place:Bhuj, Bombay, India birth date:03 Jun 1897 birthplace: death date: name note: race: father's name:Reginald Hough Light father's birthplace: father's age: mother's name:Maud Mary mother's birthplace: mother's age: indexing project (batch) number:C99916-5 system origin:India-EASy source film number:523879 reference number:

Again I am grateful to Mr Graham Sacker, custodian of the Machine Gun Corps historical archive who provided the following detail on Eric Light. Monkton Combe School Register (1868-1964): Eric Light b 1897, 1st XI 13-14-15, Hockey XI 13-14, 1st XV 1913, Shooting VIII. Gt War - 2Lt MGC, w.front 1917-18. Kia. Lt Light was educated at Monkton Combe School, near Bath and at Hertford College, Oxford. He enlisted with No 4 Officers Cadet Battalion at Oxford on 11 July 1916 while the Battle of the Somme was in progress on the Western Front. He received his commission and was posted to the Western Front with 188 Company, Machine Gun Corps on 4 July 1917, joining the Company in the field on 21/7/1917. He fought in the Battle of Passchendaele and was wounded on 14 November 1917. On returning to active service, he joined 120 Company, Machine Gun Corps and fought in the action at Bullecourt on 25 February 1918. He was reported missing, aged 20, at Gommecourt during the Allied retreat on the night of 26 March 1918 whilst serving with the 40th Battalion MGC. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery. Other memorials which bear his name include those at Monkton Combe School near Bath, Alexandra Park at Hastings, Sussex and St Mary-in-the Castle Church also at Hastings. Eric Light was the brother of Hilton Light (Lt.Col. IA).//

Help piece together the Life Stories of more than 8 million men and women who made a contribution during the First World War at www.livesofthefirstworldwar.org/

From the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website:

Name:LEWES, FREDERICK HENRY MEREDITH
Initials:F H M
Nationality:United Kingdom
Rank:Captain
Regiment/Service:Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
Unit Text:Adjt. 5th Bn.
Age:29
Date of Death:01/07/1916
Additional information:Son of Col. H. A. Lewes, and Mrs. L. J. P. Lewes of "Rothsay", Camelsdale, Haslemere, Surrey.
Casualty Type:Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference:Pier and Face 10 C 10 D and 11 A.
Memorial:THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters were in 139th Brigade, committed to the ill fated 'diversionary attack' at Gommecourt on 1 Jul 1916. The full story of this episode, and its aftermath, is told in "A Lack of Offensive Spirit: The 46th Midland Division at Gommecourt" by Alan MacDonald. This attack was used as a Leadership Study by Majors at the Joint Service Command and Staff College 2007-2010.

“Capt Frederick Henry Meredith Lewes was born on 28th July 1887 and was married to Mrs A Lewes. They lived at 3 Oak Hill Road, Surbiton Hill, Surrey. The son of Col. H. A. Lewes and Lucy Julia Perfect Lewes of Rothsay, Camelsdale, Haslemere, Surrey, he was educated at Haileybury and was a civil engineer. He moved to Derby and worked in the Coaching Section of the Midland Railway. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lt in the Territorial Force on 11th April 1911. He had previously been in the Electrical Engineers, R.E. between 1905 and 1908 and the 4th North Midland Howitzer Brigade from 1908 to 1911. He contracted trench fever in September 1915 and rejoined the battalion on 29th November 1915. He died of wounds on 2nd July 1916. In spite of his body being buried by the Germans it was subsequently lost.”
(p393 A Lack of Offensive Spirit? The 46th (North Midland) Division at Gommecourt By Alan MacDonald)

It appears from posts on the Great War Forum that Capt Lewes, and members of his unit were the only men of their Brigade to reach the German 3rd line, where they were cut off and never seen again. It is likely that they fought in that position until over run, hence the German burial of Lewes's body.

Help piece together the Life Stories of more than 8 million men and women who made a contribution during the First World War at www.livesofthefirstworldwar.org/

william was born in 1884 in Sydenham. went to school at Plassy Road School, Lewisham. He was an insurance agent in 1901 and 1911 and married Glayds Cummins in Sept 1915, which means that Gladys was widowed less than a year of marrying and probably never really got to know her husband. Dulce et decorum est?

William Dudley BEZER joined up at Davis Street between 6 August 1914 and 1 September 1914, being given the Regimental Service Number 2425. On 1 July 1916 he was with a Lewis Gun section attached to "B" Company Queen Victoria's Rifles in the 'diversionary' attack on Gommecourt. At 7.30am QVR attacked through a smoke screen - "A" (right) and "C" (left) companies led with "B" Company following towards the Quadrilateral which was the objective of the Queen's Westminster Rifles behind them. The German wire was uncut. LCpl Bezer was killed at or near Hebuterne. (All three Company Commanders; Captain Harold Edward Leys COX; Captain Robert William CUNNINGHAM; and Captain Philip Squarey HOUGHTON; were killed in action on 1 July 1916).