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8th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry
| Want to know more about 8th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry ? There are:5268 items tagged 8th 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 with8th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry during the Great War 1914-1918. - Bale William. Pte. (d.10th Oct 1918)
- Banger John. Pte. (d.24th April 1917)
- Brake Charles George. Pte.
- Brice Richmond Henry. Pte. (d.27th December 1915)
- Coram MM. Wilfred Jacob. Pte
- Crook James. Pte. (d.29th June 1916)
- Davis Henry. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Doran MiD. John. Pte (d.10th October 1918)
- Down John. Sgt. (d.3rd March 1918)
- Durham John William. Pte. (d.23rd April 1917)
- Durman C H. Pte. (d.29th June 1916)
- Edmonds Ernest. Pte. (d.11th Apr 1917)
- Farmer Walter. Pte. (d.4th Nov 1918)
- Fenwick DCM. Andrew Lees. Sgt. (d.15th May 1916)
- Gilbert Alexander Thomas. Pte. (d.25th September 1915)
- Gregory Walter Stanley. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Griggs A. E. Pte. (d.29th June 1916)
- Hatt MC. Arthur Beach. Capt. (d.1st July 1916)
- Hawkins William James . Pte. (d.4th Oct 1917)
- Hillier Thomas Harvey James. Pte.
- Hollins Albert. Sgt. (d.1st July 1916)
- Hollins Albert. Sgt. (d.1st July 1916)
- Horne Allen Ernest. Sgt. (d.28th Dec 1917)
- Hoskins George. Pte. (d.5th Apr 1918)
- Howell Edwin Thomas. Pte (d.31st July 1917)
- Impson William. Pte. (d.25th Sep 1915)
- Keetch Austin Job. L/Cpl. (d.19th Nov 1916)
- King Victor Charles.
- King W H. Cpl (d.29th June 1916)
- Knightbridge Arthur William James. Pte. (d.31st July 1917)
- Knott William Henry. Pte. (d.15th Nov 1916)
- Lake Ernest Henry. Pte. (d.4th Oct 1917)
- Lax Lorraine.
- Lewis Joseph. Pte. (d.29th Jun 1916)
- Miller William. Pte. (d.10th April 1917)
- Mossman Alexander. Pte. (d.30th September 1915)
- Nicholls Arthur. Pte.
- Padfield Edwin John. Pte. (d.30th Jun 1918)
- Painter H J. Pte. (d.29th June 1916)
- Pike John. Pte. (d.30th Jun 1918)
- Port Arthur George. Pte. (d.26th September 1915)
- Prout MM. Lee. Cpl. (d.1st July 1916)
- Radley Edward Kingsford. Cpl. (d.31st Jul 1917)
- Ridewood Cecil Maurice. Pte. (d.10th April 1917)
- Shevels Robert Henry. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Smith G. L/Cpl. (d.29th June 1916)
- Stone William. Pte. (d.28th Apr 1917)
- Swain Harold. Pte. (d.25th September 1915)
- Thomas Robert Dixon Hardy. Pte. (d.5th Sep 1915)
- Trim Ernest Frank. L/Cpl. (d.28th Apr 1917)
- Trim Samuel. Pte. (d.24th Dec 1916)
- Webber Joseph. Sgt (d.25th Sept 1915)
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 8th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry from other sources.
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Cpl. Edward Kingsford Radley 8th Btn. A Coy. Somerset Light Infantry (d.31st Jul 1917) Edward Radley enlisted on 8th September 1915.
Ed was in 'A' company of the 8th Battalion of the Somerset Light infantry engaged in 3rd Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). He was killed in action on 31st July 1917 and his body was never found. His name is engraved on Panel 21 of Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium.
The 8th Battalion of Somerset Light Infantry was under the command of the 63rd Brigade which joined the 37th Division on 8th July 1916 (thought to be part of 2nd Army). The Somersets fought with the 8th Btn. of Lincolnshire and 4th Btn. of Middlesex Regiments in the 63rd Brigade at the Battle for Pilckem Ridge which commenced at 0350 on 31st July 1917. This was the 1st of 6 phases of the 3rd Battle of Ypres. In the terrible conditions of heavy enemy fire and thick Flanders mud Ed never survived the first day.
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Pte. William Stone 8th Btn. Somerset Light Infantry (d.28th Apr 1917) William Stone was my grandfather's brother, of the same address and regiment. Grandfather was a sergeant, and they both fought in France. Grandfather was gassed but survived to fight again and lived through the war.
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Pte. Thomas Harvey James Hillier 8th Btn. Somerset Light Infantry My grandfather, Thomas Hillier, joined the Somerset Light Infantry on 1st of December 1915 aged 31. He was severely wounded in the mouth, chest, and back on 17th of May 1918. He was transferred from 48th Field Ambulance to 42nd Ambulance Train on 21 May 1918. He was discharged from the Army on 15th of October 1918. He spent 17 weeks as an inmate of the Pensions Hospital. He was an invalid after his discharge and unable to work. My father, his son, Edward Hillier was born in February 1922. Unfortunately, Thomas died on 24th January 1924 aged 39 at the Royal United Hospital, Bath after complications brought on by the injuries received in WW1.
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Pte. George Hoskins 8th Btn. Somerset Light Infantry (d.5th Apr 1918) George Hoskins was my Great Uncle.
He was in the 8th battalion Somerset Light Infantry.
He was born circa 1887 and killed in action on 5th of April 1918.
He is buried in Gommecourt British Cemetery No.2 Hebuterne.
He was married to Jesse Selina Hoskins of New Cottages, Rochford, Tenbury Wells, Worcs and his parents were Thomas and Emma Hoskins of Rochford.
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Pte. Ernest Edmonds 8th Btn. Somerset Light Infantry (d.11th Apr 1917) Born in Lopen, Somerset, Ernest Edmonds was my late mother's first cousin. He is commemorated in St Mary's Churchyard memorial stone and is interred in the Arras Memorial Graveyard.
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Pte John Doran MiD. 8th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry (d.10th October 1918) John Doran was born in Whitehaven, Cumberland and moved to Blyth, Northumberland in the first few years of the 20th century. There he married Dorothy Winship in 1913, the couple having two children John George in 1914 and Harold in 1915.
John was killed on the 10th of October 1918 and is buried in the Romeries Communal Cemetery Extension in the Nord region of France.
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Sgt. Albert Hollins 8th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry (d.1st July 1916) Albert Hollins was the son of Thomas Hollins a coal hewer, and his wife Hannah. Albert worked as a shop assistant prior to joining Kitchener's Model Army. He was twenty two at the time of his death and is commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial, and on the War Memorial at Brereton Staffordshire where he lived. I am a member of the Burntwood Family History Group. We are researching the lives of W.W.1. combatants who are on our local war memorials.
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Capt. Arthur Beach Hatt MC. 8th Btn. Somerset Light Infantry (d.1st July 1916) Arthur Hatt was born in 1889 in Oxford, eldest son of Sir Harry and Lady Hatt of Sunnycroft, Bloomfield Park, Bath. His father was Mayor of Bath. After leaving school he decided to pursue a career as a horticulturist and spent several years studying in Holland, Hanover and at the Horticultural College, Wittstock, Brandenburg. He then gained experiance in France before returning to England where in 1911 he was managing a fruit farm near Seaton in Devon before he went into business with an old school friend running a fruit farm in Lilworth, near Pershore, Worcestershire.
At the outbreak of the war he enlisted with the Southdown Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment. Within 3 weeks he was promoted straight to Sergeant, bypassing Lance Corporal and Corporal. In February 1915 he was commissioned as temporary 2nd Lieutenant with the Service Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry, promoted to Lieutenant whilst in France in September 1915. He was promoted to Captain on 29th September 1915, a few days after his show of valour for which he was awarded the Military Cross, (London Gazette 4th November 1915); receiving it from the King at Buckingham Palace on 17th May 1916,
"For conspicuous gallantry and determination on Hill 70 on 25th and 26th September 1915, when with a Serjeant and about six men he held on to his position until practically everyone else in the vicinity had retired."
Serving with A Company, 8th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry. He was severely injured and died of his wounds on 1st July 1916 aged 27 years, during the first day of the Battle of the Somme. He is buried in Gordon Dump Cemetery, Ovillers-la-Boiselle. His commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Scott wrote to Capatain Hatt's parents twice,
"The last I heard of your son he was badly hit, and the stretcher bearers were trying to get him in. He was perfectly splendid, leading his company up to the first line of the German trenches, and smiling and saying 'Come on, you fellows, we've got them now' The Battalion were splendid for the way they went throught the machine gun fire, which opened the moment we came out. They eventually went through four lines of trenches, though, alas I was not there to see it through." and
"Just before leaving France, another officer of the ---------- came down and I obtained further information concerning your son from him. Apparently they brought your son back into our line, but he only lived for a few hours. I say apparently because the young officer was suffering from shell shock, though he seemed quite clear about it"
He was a member of Bedford Modern School 1897-1900, and is commemorated on the School War Memorial, which was unveiled in 1923 and in the Roll of Honour, published in The Eagle, December 1923. He is also remembered on the War Memorial at Bath, Somerset. Information courtesy of www.roll-of-honour.com.
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Pte. Charles George Brake 1st Battalion Wiltshire Regiment My father Charles Brake originally joined the 8th Battalion the Somerset Light Infantry during the early part of 1917 and was transferred to the 1st Battalion the Wiltshire Regiment and demobbed on the 5 March 1919.
Despite being injured on two occasions he was one of the very lucky survivors and lived to the age of 75 years. His war service was never discussed and sadly the precise details of his service and experiences are unknown despite extensive research my myself. Many will be aware that the majority of service records were destroyed during World War 11 and so I have relied on the available books published in relation to both Battalions and extracts from the war diaries.
I have been able to establish the activities and movements of both Battalions during this period also the various Battles including the 3rd Battle of Ypres, Passchendale where interestingly both Battalions were in action and in close proximity with very heavy casualties so perhaps that is when his transfer occurred.
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Pte. John Banger 8th Btn. Somerset Light Infantry (d.24th April 1917) John Banger fell at the Battle of Arras at the age of 26. His body was never found but he is remembered with honour on the Arras Memorial.
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Pte. William Bale 8th Btn. Somerset Light Infantry (d.10th Oct 1918) Sadly, William Bale was one of a hundred men recorded on the War Memorial in St Mary Magdalene Church, Taunton.
William was born in Taunton, the youngest of four children born to Edward and Rose nee Cridland.
Prior to enlisting William worked as a clerk in an Insurance Office.
The Church was the one attended by the men of the SLI whose barracks were just up the road.
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Pte. Samuel Trim 68th Coy. Machine Gun Corps (d.24th Dec 1916)  Samuel Trim enlisted voluntarily at Taunton between 10th and 12th January 1915, joining the 8th Somerset Light Infantry.
He was then transferred to the MGC training school at Belton Park near Grantham on 1st January 1916 and on completion was attached to the 68th Company MGC, in 68th Brigade, 23rd Division. The 68th MGC landed in France on the S.S. La Marguerite on 25th February 1916.
The war diary describes how the Company moved into the trenches after a period of rest, on 6th December 1916. The guns took up positions in the Armagh Wood - Vince Street sector of line, which is south east of Zillebeke near Ypres. It was a relatively quiet tour.
Over the next days, German artillery was active and the Company positions were shelled. The diary is rather matter-of-fact about it all and mentions no casualties. On 22nd December the Company was relieved and began to move out of the trenches for rest at Erie Camp, west of Ypres. As it moved through the ruins of Zillebeke around 6pm, heavy shellfire fell.
It is reasonable to assume that Samuel was a victim of this shelling, and that he may have been hit in Zillebeke. He was evacuated, making it as far as the medical facilities at Remy Farm (No 3 Canadian CCS) in the hamlet of Lijssenthoek, west of Poperinge.
He succumbed to gunshot wounds to the Shoulder, thigh, elbow and side (shrapnel) on 24th December 1916 and is buried in Lijssenthoek military cemetery.
His brother L/Cpl Ernest Frank Trim 12156 8th Bn Somerset Light Infantry was killed on 28th April 1917 and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial to the missing.
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Pte. Cecil Maurice Ridewood 8th Btn. Somerset Light Infantry (d.10th April 1917) Cecil Ridewood was killed in action at the Battle of Arras, aged 19. I cannot find his service record, although I have found his medal record.
Cecil was born in 1897, one from the youngest of 15 children. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Bay 4, Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery.
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L/Cpl. Ernest Frank Trim 8th Btn Somerset Light Infantry (d.28th Apr 1917) At the Battle of Arleux Ernest Trim attacked with the Somerset's on the 28th Apr Their objectives were Wish and Whip Trenches,running along the Plouvain to Gavrelle Road.
Ernest has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.
His brother (my Great grandfather) Pte 5548 S Trim 68th Coy MGC also fell, succumbing to his wounds on the 24th Dec 1916 and is buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.
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Lorraine Lax 8th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry My great granddad, Lorraine Lax, survived WW1, including Loos, the Somme and being shot in head at Arras. But did not survive British justice.
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Pte Edwin Thomas Howell 8th Btn Somerset Light Infantry (d.31st July 1917) My Nan never knew her Dad, Edwin Howell, she was born in 1916 and he died on 31st July 1917. I know little of his actual death; only the officers seem to get mentioned in the war diaries so he is not mentioned by name.
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Pte. Walter Stanley Gregory 8th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry (d.1st July 1916) One of the tasks of the 8th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry on 1st July 1916 was to assist in the capture of Lozenge Alley and part of Lozenge Wood. Private Gregory was killed north of Fricourt on that day in action with the 21st Division. It seems that 144 soldiers of his division were killed that day.
He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. He was one of 168 Old Boys of Taunton School who gave their lives in the Great War - three of whom died on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Somme. They will be especially remembered at the School Commemoration this year, which falls on 1 July, the centenary of the battle.
Unfortunately, few details of Walter Gregory's schooldays are known and there is no photograph. He attended Taunton School, probably as a boarder, from 1896-98 when the school was still known as Independent College.
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Pte. Arthur Nicholls 8th Btn. Somerset Light Infantry I don't have a lot to say about my grandad's involvement in WW1 as he did not speak about it too much, however I have found records of his involvement.
Arthur Nichols enlisted with the Somerset Light Infantry on the 29th Sept 1914 and was discharged on the 18th April 1917 as he was no longer physically fit for service.
He was in the 8th Battalion, and I was led to believe that he was at the Somme, it was also mentioned that on three separate occasions he was left to die in a room with others and that each time he was the only one alive in the morning: needless to say he had a very low opinion of doctors.
He married and lived the rest of his life in Birmingham where he had 4 children (my father being the youngest) and 8 grandchildren. He passed away in 1988 at the Walsgrave Hospital in Coventry, where both my daughters were born.
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Pte. John Pike 8th Btn. Somerset Light Infantry Regiment (d.30th Jun 1918) John Pike is buried at Couin New British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
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Pte. Henry Davis 8th Btn. Somerset Light Infantry (d.1st July 1916) Henry Davis was born in Bristol and was killed in action on the 1st day of the Somme.
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