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1st Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry
At the outbreak of war in 1914 The 1st Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry was in Colchester, with 11th Brigade, 4th Division, was one of two regular battalions of the Somerset Light Infantry. The Battalion arrived in France with the BEF on 22 August 1914, in time to fight in the battle of Le Cateau during the retreat from Mons. They remained on the Western Front with 4th Division, throughout the war, suffering 1,315 losses. They were in action at the The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne and at The Battle of Messines in 1914. In 1915 they fought in The Second Battle of Ypres and in 1916 moved south and were in action during the Battles of the Somme. In 1917 they were at Arras, in action during the The First and Third Battles of the Scarpe, before heading north for the Third Battle of Ypres, where they fought in The Battle of Polygon Wood, The Battle of Broodseinde, The Battle of Poelcapelle and The First Battle of Passchendaele. In 1918 they were in action on The Somme, then returned to Flanders fighting in the Defence of Hinges Ridge during The Battle of Hazebrouck and in The Battle of Bethune, The Advance in Flanders The Second Battles of Arras, the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Final Advance in Picardy. They were demobilised in Belgium in early 1919.
29th Jul 1914 Troops deployed
18th Aug 1914 Concentration
19th Aug 1914 Concentration
26th Aug 1914 Shellfire
27th August 1914 Retreat from Action
27th Aug 1914 Enemy Advance
27th August 1914 On the Move
28th Aug 1914 Enemy Advance
28th Aug 1914 On the March
29th Aug 1914 In Action
29th Aug 1914 On the March
30th Aug 1914 Rear Guard
30th of August 1914 A Hot March
30th Aug 1914 On the March
31st Aug 1914 Rear Guard
31st August 1914 Continued withdrawals
31st Aug 1914 On the March
1st Sep 1914 Rear Guard
1st Sep 1914 Withdrawal
1st Sep 1914 On the March
1st Sep 1914 On the March
2nd September 1914 Further retreat
2nd Sep 1914 Rear Guard
2nd Sep 1914 Withdrawal
2nd Sep 1914 On the March
3rd Sep 1914 Rear Guard
3rd of September 1914 Across the Marne
3rd Sep 1914 On the March
4th September 1914 Relocation
4th Sep 1914 Rear Guard
4th Sep 1914 On the March
4th Sep 1914 At Rest
5th September 1914 Rear guard retires
5th Sep 1914 Rear Guard
6th Sep 1914 Advance Guard
6th Sep 1914 On the March
7th Sep 1914 Advance Guard
8th Sep 1914 Advance Guard
9th Sep 1914 Bridging
10th of September 1914 Marching
12th September 1914 On the March
12th Sep 1914 On the March
13th September 1914 Continued Advance
13th Sep 1914 On the March
16th Sep 1914 Reorganisation
17th September 1914
17th Sep 1914 Shelling
18th Sep 1914 Reorganisation
21st Oct 1914 Village Taken
28th Oct 1914 Reliefs 
30th Oct 1914 4th Divison under pressure On the 30th of October 1914 the German forces launched an attack on the line from from le Gheer to the river Douve in the souther Ypres Sector. The British 4th Division extended its line from St. Yves to Messines, now covering a front of 12 miles. At St. Yves, German Infantry broke through, but the advance was halted by a counter attack by the 1st Battalion Somerset Light Infantry under the command of Major C B Prowse. (Prowse Point Cemetery which was later built on the site, was named after him.)
30th Oct 1914 Enemy attacks repulsed
30th Oct 1914 Under Shellfire
30th Oct 1914 Attack Made
31st Oct 1914 Attack Made
1st Nov 1914 Bombardment
8th Nov 1914 Holding the Line
21st Nov 1914 Rifle Bullet
5th December 1914 Quiet
9th Dec 1914 Trench Work
9th December 1914 Uniforms
19th Dec 1914 British attack
19th Dec 1914 Attack Made
24th Dec 1914 Screen
25th Apr 1915 Confusion
26th Apr 1915 Confusion
5th May 1915 Orders
23rd May 1915 Working Parties
23rd May 1915 Working Parties
10th Jun 1915 An Awful Night
6th Jul 1915 Shelled by Germans for a Whole Day.
16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme
1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets
11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment
13th Dec 1915 The Lucky Seven
10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens
9th February 1916 Call Ups
18th March 1916 Reliefs
26th Apr 1916 Trench Work
1st July 1916 1st Somersets in action Battle of the Somme, bloodiest day in the British army's history - 1st Btn Somerset Light Infantry assaulted Beaumont Hamel
1st Jul 1916 Attack Made
1st July 1916 Bombardment
20th Jul 1916 Reliefs
At 4.05 a.m. A & B co's 1st S.L.I. go over the top, 3rd Battle of the Scarpe, Arras. Cpl Eli Jenkins of 1st Btn Killed in Action.
27th Sep 1917 Instructions
29th Sep 1917 Instructions
3rd Oct 1917 Orders
3rd Oct 1917 Instructions
3rd Oct 1917 Instructions
3rd Oct 1917 Instructions
3rd Oct 1917 Instructions
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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| Want to know more about 1st Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry? There are:5321 items tagged 1st Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
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Those known to have served with1st Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry during the Great War 1914-1918. - Atkin Walter Edward. Pte. (d.9th August 1916)
- Baker Alfred J.. (d.14th April 1918)
- Ballard Albert Ernest. Pte (d.10th Oct 1918)
- Bingham Robert James. Sgt. (d.1st July 1916)
- Bond MID Arthur Howe. CSM. (d.1st July 1916)
- Bond Thomas Percy. Sgt. (d.19th December 1914)
- Bull Samuel. Pte.
- Champion Henry John. Sgt. (d.31st October 1914)
- Chick Eli George.
- Crockson J. W.. Pte. (d.27th Jun 1917)
- Curry Arthur Frederick. Sgt. (d.26th August 1914)
- Dix William George. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- England Albert Ernest. Sgt. (d.9th Aug 1916)
- Fry Wilfred Reader. Pte. (d.17th Aug 1917)
- Gibbons William. L/Cpl. (d.1st September 1918)
- Hazzard Thomas George. Cpl. (d.4th Oct 1917)
- Horne Edwin Percy Lott. Pte. (d.17th July 1917)
- Jarman Arthur George. Pte. (d.2nd June 1915)
- Johnson MC & bar. Thomas James.
- Legg Thomas John. Pte.
- Lord Robert Charles. Pte. (d.21st October 1918)
- Morris MM. Albert James. A/Cpl.
- Morris Arthur Edwin. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Newman William John. Pte. (d.26th Aug 1914)
- Packe Edward Alexander. Capt.
- Payne William Henry . Pte..
- Pearce John Henry. A/Sgt
- Pitman Joseph. Sgt. (d.1st July 1916)
- Priddice Edward Edwin. Sjt. (d.3rd May 1915 )
- Roberts Thomas. Pte. (d.26th Aug 1914)
- Rousell Henry. Pte. (d.20th Oct 1916)
- Russell P.. Pte. (d.27th November 1918)
- Sutherley Reginald George Albert William. Pte. (d.4th Oct 1917)
- Tanner Hubert John. Capt. (d.9th April 1917)
- Tett William. Pte. (d.14th May 1918)
- Venning MM & Bar William Edwin. Sgt.
- Williams MM William Philip. Pte. (d.17th Aug 1918)
- Wiltshire William E.. Cpl. (d.9th Aug 1916)
- Yendole George Henry. Sgt.
- Young Ronald George. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please Add a Name to this List
Records of 1st Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry from other sources.
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Pte. Wilfred Reader Fry 1st Btn. Somerset Light Infantry (d.17th Aug 1917) The only thing known is that Wilfred Fry is remembered at the Arras memorial.
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Pte. William George Dix 1st Btn. Somerset Light Infantry (d.1st Jul 1916) William Dix died on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, at Redan Ridge near Beaumont-Hamel.
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Sgt. Joseph Pitman 1st Battalion Somerset Light Infantry (d.1st July 1916) Joseph Pitman was a Sergeant serving in the 1st Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry. He was killed on the first day of the First Battle of the Somme 1st July 1916.
His, and several others', remains were found in 1924 located at the rear of the former strongpoint next to the Mailley-Mallet to Serre Road, known to the British as "The Quadrilateral" and to the Germans as Heidenkopf.
His final resting place and that of the others found then, is Pargny British Cemetery.
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Alfred J. Baker 1st Btn Somerset Light Infantry (d.14th April 1918) Alfred Baker is commemorated on a plaque in the Church of St Thomas a Beckett in Lydlinch Dorset along with his brother Alick Luthor Baker who died in Greece on 25th of October 1918. Alick was serving with the 9th Btn Kings Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment.
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Sgt. George Henry Yendole 1st Btn. Somerset Light Infantry My great grandfather George Yendole ran away to the Boer War underage and his father came and took him back. At 17 he left home and saw service in a mounted company of 2nd. Battalion Somerset Light Infantry in South Africa. We know he was in Malta and China with them but did not go on to India. We think he transferred to 1st Battalion in 1914 and spent the whole of the first world war in France, retiring from the service in 1924 . We believe he was at the "bullring" at Etaples as an instructor at some stage. He was awarded an MSM in Junr 1919. My mother tells me he was just a normal sane level-headed person but I dread to think what he must have been through.
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Pte. William Tett 1st Btn Somerset Light Infantry (d.14th May 1918) William Tett is buried at Mont Huon Military Cemetery, Le Treport.
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Pte. J. W. Crockson 1st Btn. Somerset Light Infantry (d.27th Jun 1917) Private Crockson is buried in the Vittener Cemetery in Lithuania.
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Pte. P. Russell 1st Garrison Btn. Somerset Light Infantry (d.27th November 1918) Private Russell is buried in the Jhajha Cemetery in India, Grave 43.
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Pte. Reginald George Albert William Sutherley 1st Battalion Somerset Light Infantry (d.4th Oct 1917) Missing in action in the area of Furdan House, Ypres. So far nothing else known. My wife's Great Uncle.
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Pte. Ronald George Young 1st Btn. Somerset Light Infantry (d.1st July 1916) Private Ronald Young was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme attacking the Quadrilateral Redoubt (Heidenkopf) on Redan Ridge.
On the 1st of July 1916 at 7.30am the 1st Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry part of 11th Brigade, 4th Division, went over the top just north of Beaumont Hamel, following a week long artillery bombardment which stopped at 7.20am to allow a large mine to be detonated. This allowed the Germans to come out of their deep bunkers knowing an attack was imminent. The wire had not been effectively cut and the men attacked in line formation and were funnelled though such narrow gaps as existed and were cut down by the German guns.
Ron was amongst 58,000 of his comrades killed that day. His body has never been found, but may well be one of the unknowns at buried in Serre Road No.2. He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial and in Burnham-On-Sea.
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CSM. Arthur Howe Bond MID 1st Btn. Somerset Light Infantry (d.1st July 1916) CSM Arthur Bond was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial. Arthur was twice mentioned in dispatches.
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Sgt. Thomas Percy Bond 1st Btn. Somerset Light Infantry (d.19th December 1914) Thomas Bond was one of three brothers and a father who served in WW1. He was killed in action in Ploegsteert Wood just prior to the Christmas truce.
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Cpl. William E. Wiltshire 1st Btn. Somerset Light Infantry (d.9th Aug 1916)  William Wiltshire was born in Bath, Somerset on August 15th 1893 and was the eldest of 11 children. When he left school, he took a job as a blacksmith striker in Bath. His father was a Bugler Sgt Maj, in the Somerset Lights, so it wasn't hard to believe that the boys would follow in his footsteps.
Bill joined up in 1914, from Lower Bristol Rd, Bath, Somerset. On the out break of war and was deployed after training to France, with the 11th and 4th Somerset Light Infantry. They took to sea on the HMHS Braemar and landed at Le Havre on 22nd Aug 1914.
He had a couple of lucky escapes during his time over seas that ended in him being in a field hospital, after an explosion went off near him. The horrors he must of seen and experienced must of been total confusion for such a young lad from rural Bath. From what information I can gather he went home on leave just one time, to visit with his family. He wasn't married and as far I know he had no children. He gained rank and fought hard. But, on August 9th 1916, sadly William fell foul to drift gas, he died at 630am at Remy Siding, in the company of the 3rd Canadian Clearing Station. He was laid to rest with his fellow brave pals at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, Belgium. He was survived by Bugler Sgt Maj William John Wiltshire, Bugler Herbert Frank, Bugler Harold Ewart, and Bugler Reginald Rupert.
William was my Great Uncle. I am so very proud to have his photo, and the medals he received. He gave everything for King and Country. He gave his life. Such a brave and selfless young man. One of many that gave all.
May he rest in eternal peace and know he is not forgotten.
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Sgt. Arthur Frederick Curry 1st Btn. Somerset Light Infantry (d.26th August 1914) Sgt. Curry was killed at Le Cateau on 26th August 1914.
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Pte. Edwin Percy Lott Horne 1st Btn. Somerset Light Infantry (d.17th July 1917) Edwin Horne served with the 1st Btn Somerset Light Infantry.
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Pte. Thomas John Legg 1st Btn. Somerset Light Infantry Thomas Legg arrived in France on the 21st of August 1914. He was taken prisoner of war in August 1914 to and held throughout the conflict.
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Thomas James Johnson MC & bar. 1st Btn. Somerset Light Infantry My great uncle, Thomas Johnson joined up as a boy soldier in the Somerset Light Infantry. He won a MC at Mons in 1914 then another (his bar) in 1917. He survived the war and went on to fight on the home front as a training officer in WW2. If anybody has any information please get in touch.
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Sgt. Albert Ernest England 1st Btn. Somerset Light Infantry (d.9th Aug 1916) Albert England was the son of Sarah Ann England, of Bristol; husband of E. K. Howard (formerly England) of 35 Gwilliam St., Windmill Hill, Bedminster, Bristol.
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Pte. Arthur George Jarman 1st Battalion, D Coy. Somerset Light Infantry (d.2nd June 1915) In memory of my ancestor, 2nd cousin Arthur Jarman
He served as Private, 9558, with "D" Coy. 1st Bn., Somerset Light Infantry and died "at home" on 2nd of June 1915 of wounds received in battle.
He is interred at Bristol (Greenbank) Cemetery, and is grave is maintained by the CWWGC
Remembered with Honour.
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Pte. Thomas Roberts 1st Battalion Somerset Light Infantry (d.26th Aug 1914) Thomas Roberts was born in 1894 in St Helens, Lancashire to John and Eliza Banfield Roberts, nee Pearce.
In 1901 at the age of 5 he was living in Bull Street, Creech St Michael with his parents John and Eliza with his brothers Medford, George Henry, Thomas and William and sisters Annie and Edith who was a baby.
John Roberts, his father was a general labourer on the railway and was from Tiverton in Devon. Eliza was from North Newton in Somerset.
In 1911 Thomas was living in Churchill Cottage, North Newton and was at 15 years old a farm labourer. By that time they were joined by 4 more siblings, Wilfred, Margaret, Melvyn and Amy.
Thomas joined the Somerset Light Infantry and was with the 1st Battalion.
Sadly, Thomas was the first of our village soldiers to die on just the 24th August 1914, just 20 days after the beginning of the war. His Medal card tells that he was assumed dead on the 26th August 1914.
Thomas was awarded the 14 Star, the British Medal and the Victory Medal. He was also awarded the Clasp, which was awarded to men who were under fire during the first four months of the war.
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