Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
I only read about this, this week and am a bit ashamed I'd never heard of it before. It's coming up to the 100th anniversary on 30th June 1916 of a push by the 11th, 12th, 13th Southdown Battalions (what a brilliant name). It was a march into No Man's Land that the Germans were already prepared for and one in which a commanding officer was relieved of his post for refusing to lead his men to their deaths. A VC was awarded together with twenty Military Medals, eight Distinguished Conduct Medals, four MCs and a Distinguished Service Order.
Taken from this website: http://www.eastsussexww1.org.uk/day-sussex-died/
"...When the time came to take stock, the casualty numbers were tremendous. The 11th Battalion had sustained 116 casualties whilst supporting the attack. The 12th Battalion lost 429 men either killed or wounded. The 13th Battalion, however, had been almost entirely destroyed with over 800 men being killed, wounded or captured. In total, the three Southdowns Battalions suffered 366 killed and over 1000 wounded or taken prisoner. The majority of officers and Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) in these positions were among the casualties. Around 70% of those that died came from Sussex with estimates including up to 12 sets of brothers. The Southdowns Battalions would be rebuilt over time but they would lose much of their Sussex identity with recruits being brought in from across the country. The majority of those Sussex men who were killed are buried at cemeteries near Richebourg. There is no memorial to the Battle of the Boar’s Head in Britain."
Has anyone got anything more on this?
Taken from this website: http://www.eastsussexww1.org.uk/day-sussex-died/
"...When the time came to take stock, the casualty numbers were tremendous. The 11th Battalion had sustained 116 casualties whilst supporting the attack. The 12th Battalion lost 429 men either killed or wounded. The 13th Battalion, however, had been almost entirely destroyed with over 800 men being killed, wounded or captured. In total, the three Southdowns Battalions suffered 366 killed and over 1000 wounded or taken prisoner. The majority of officers and Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) in these positions were among the casualties. Around 70% of those that died came from Sussex with estimates including up to 12 sets of brothers. The Southdowns Battalions would be rebuilt over time but they would lose much of their Sussex identity with recruits being brought in from across the country. The majority of those Sussex men who were killed are buried at cemeteries near Richebourg. There is no memorial to the Battle of the Boar’s Head in Britain."
Has anyone got anything more on this?
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