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2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment
2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment were in Woking serving with 2nd Brigade, 1st Division when war broke out in August 1914. They proceeded to France in August 1914, and fought on the Western Front throughout the war, taking part in most of the major actions. In 1914 they were involved in The Battle of Mons and the subsequent retreat, The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne, the First Battle of Ypres and the Winter Operations of 1914-15. In 1915 they were in action during The Battle of Aubers and The Battle of Loos. In 1916 they were in action in the Battles of the Somme. In 1917 they saw action in The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line and the Third Battle of Ypres. In 1918 the Battles of the Lys, the Second Battles of Arras, the Battles of the Hindenburg Line, The Battle of the Selle and The Battle of the Sambre, in which the Division fought the Passage of the Sambre-Oise Canal. At the Armistice, 1st Division was selected to advance into Germany and formed part of the Occupation Force at Bonn.
2nd Aug 1914 Medicals
3rd Aug 1914 Medicals
4th Aug 1914 Orders to Mobilise
5th Aug 1914 Mobilisation
6th Aug 1914 Reservists Arrive
7th Aug 1914 Reorganisation
8th Aug 1914 Company Training
9th Aug 1914 Boots
10th Aug 1914 Training
11th Aug 1914 Route March
12th Aug 1914 On the Move
13th Aug 1914 On the Move
14th Aug 1914 On the Move
15th Aug 1914 On the Move
16th Aug 1914 On the March
17th Aug 1914 Inoculations
18th Aug 1914 Massed Drums
19th Aug 1914 Concert
20th Aug 1914 Cleaning
21st Aug 1914 On the March
22nd Aug 1914 On the March
23rd Aug 1914 On the March
24th Aug 1914 Artillery Duel
25th Aug 1914 On the March
26th Aug 1914 On the March
27th Aug 1914 On the March
28th Aug 1914 On the March
29th Aug 1914 At Rest
29th Aug 1914 Covering the Troops
30th Aug 1914 On the March
30th Aug 1914 Covering the Troops
31st Aug 1914 On the March
31st Aug 1914 Covering the Troops
1st Sep 1914 Outpost Duty
1st Sep 1914 A Hot Day
2nd Sep 1914 Rear Guard
3rd Sep 1914 Advance Guard
3rd Sep 1914 Retirement
4th Sep 1914 In Action
5th Sep 1914 Reinforcements
6th Sep 1914 In Reserve
7th Sep 1914 On the March
8th Sep 1914 Enemy in Flight
9th Sep 1914 On the March
10th Sep 1914 Losses in the Morning
11th Sep 1914 Advance Guard
12th Sep 1914 On the March
13th Sep 1914 In Action
14th Sep 1914 In Action
15th Sep 1914 In Action
16th Sep 1914 Artillery In Action
17th Sep 1914 In Action
18th Sep 1914 Artillery In Action
19th Sep 1914 Reliefs Complete
20th Sep 1914 In Action
21st Sep 1914 In Action
22nd Sep 1914 Reliefs
23rd Sep 1914 Into Reserve
24th Sep 1914 At Rest
25th Sep 1914 At Rest
26th Sep 1914 In the Trenches
27th Sep 1914 ombardment
28th Sep 1914 Relief
29th Sep 1914 Under Shellfire
30th Sep 1914 Under Shellfire
1st Oct 1914 Enemy Trenches
2nd Oct 1914 Duds
3rd Oct 1914 Snipers
4th Oct 1914 Under Shellfire
5th Oct 1914 Artillery In Action
6th Oct 1914 Artillery In Action
7th Oct 1914 Enemy Fire
8th Oct 1914 Reinforcements
10th Oct 1914 Reliefs
12th Oct 1914 Under Attack
13th Oct 1914 Into Reserve
14th Oct 1914 Orders
15th Oct 1914 Reliefs
16th Oct 1914 On the Move
17th Oct 1914 On the Move
18th Oct 1914 On the Move
19th Oct 1914 Billets
20th Oct 1914 On the March
21st Oct 1914 On the March
22nd Oct 1914 In Reserve
23rd Oct 1914 In Billets
24th Oct 1914 Withdrawl
25th Oct 1914 On the March
26th Oct 1914 On the March
27th Oct 1914 Entrenching
28th Oct 1914 Entrenching
29th Oct 1914 Attack Launched
30th Oct 1914 Shelling
31st Oct 1914 Divisional HQ Hit
31st Oct 1914 In Action
1st Nov 1914 In Action
2nd Nov 1914 In Action
3rd Nov 1914 The Kaiser's Visit
4th Nov 1914 Rifle Fire
5th Nov 1914 Heavy Shelling
6th Nov 1914 Action
7th Nov 1914 In Action
8th Nov 1914 Artillery In Action
9th Nov 1914 Relief
10th Nov 1914 At Rest
11th Nov 1914 In Action
11th Nov 1914 In Action
11th Nov 1914 In Action
11th Nov 1914 Heavy Fighting
12th Nov 1914 Holding the Line
12th Nov 1914 Machine Guns Active
13th Nov 1914 Shelling
14th Nov 1914 Pig Sty Wood
15th Nov 1914 Orders
16th Nov 1914 On the Move
17th Nov 1914 On the March
18th Nov 1914 Comforts
19th Nov 1914 Leave Begins
23rd Nov 1914 Refitting
24th Nov 1914 Refitting
25th Nov 1914 Training
28th Nov 1914 Inspection and Training
29th Nov 1914 Reinforcements
30th Nov 1914 Training
1st Dec 1914 Refitting and Training
3rd Dec 1914 Royal Visit
6th Dec 1914 Bombardment
20th Dec 1914 Hostile Aircraft
21st Dec 1914 On the Move 
22nd Dec 1914 Reliefs
23rd Dec 1914 Reliefs
24th Dec 1914 Into Billets
25th Dec 1914 In Peace
26th Dec 1914 In the Trenches
27th Dec 1914 Trench Work
28th Dec 1914 Trench Mortar
29th Dec 1914 Very Wet
30th Dec 1914 Reliefs
31st Dec 1914 In Action
31st Dec 1914 Bombed Out
1st Jan 1915 In Action
1st Jan 1915 In Action
1st Jan 1915 Bombardment
2nd Jan 1915 Relief
2nd Jan 1915 Reliefs
3rd Jan 1915 Relief
4th Jan 1915 Bombardment
5th Jan 1915 24 Hour Reliefs
6th Jan 1915 Redoubt Occupied
7th Jan 1915 Reconnaissance
8th Jan 1915 Relief
9th Jan 1915 In Billets
10th Jan 1915 In Billets
11th Jan 1915 Reliefs
12th Jan 1915 Under Shellfire
13th Jan 1915 Reinforcements
14th Jan 1915 Trench Work
15th Jan 1915 Trench Work
16th Jan 1915 48 Hour Reliefs
17th Jan 1915 Bathing
18th Jan 1915 Thaw
19th Jan 1915 In the Trenches
20th Jan 1915 Relief
21st Jan 1915 Relief
22nd Jan 1915 Cleaning
23rd Jan 1915 Bathing
24th Jan 1915 At Rest
25th Jan 1915 In Action
25th Jan 1915 Attack
26th Jan 1915 In the Trenches
27th Jan 1915 Artillery In Action
28th Jan 1915 Artillery In Action
29th Jan 1915 Artillery In Action
30th Jan 1915 Reliefs
31st Jan 1915 At Rest
1st Feb 1915 In Billets
4th Feb 1915 On the March
6th Feb 1915 Instruction
7th Feb 1915 Reinforcements
15th Feb 1915 Reinforcements
21st Feb 1915 Training
24th Feb 1915 Training
27th Feb 1915 Inspection
28th Feb 1915 On the March
9th Mar 1915 Training
10th Mar 1915 At the Ready
11th Mar 1915 In Reserve
12th Mar 1915 Advance Made
13th Mar 1915 Orders
14th Mar 1915 Reliefs
15th Mar 1915 Defence Work
16th Mar 1915 Defence Work
17th Mar 1915 Defence Work
18th Mar 1915 Reliefs Completed
19th Mar 1915 Training and Sports
20th Mar 1915 Bathing
21st Mar 1915 Football
22nd Mar 1915 Football
23rd Mar 1915 Reliefs
24th Mar 1915 Trench Work
25th Mar 1915 Artillery Active
26th Mar 1915 Quiet Day
27th Mar 1915 Reliefs
28th Mar 1915 Working Party
29th Mar 1915 Spy Captured
30th Mar 1915 Reliefs
31st Mar 1915 In Billets
6th Apr 1915 In Billets
6th Apr 1915 Instruction
7th Apr 1915 Instruction
8th Apr 1915 Shelling
9th Apr 1915 Drainage
9th Apr 1915 Instruction
10th Apr 1915 Trench Work
11th Apr 1915 Aircraft Active
14th Apr 1915 Training
15th Apr 1915 Training
24th Apr 1915 In the Trenches
25th Apr 1915 Shellfire
26th Apr 1915 Working Parties
27th Apr 1915 Reinforcements
28th Apr 1915 Reliefs Complete
29th Apr 1915 In Billets
30th Apr 1915 Change of Command
1st May 1915 Bombardment
2nd May 1915 On the March
6th May 1915 On the March
7th May 1915 Orders
8th May 1915 Preparations
9th May 1915 The Battle of Aubers Ridge: The Souther pincer Richebourg L’Avoue. At 4.06am: sunrise and all very quiet on this front.
5.00am: British bombardment opens with field guns firing shrapnel at the German wire and howitzers firing High Explosive shells onto front line. German troops are seen peering above their parapet even while this shelling was going on.
5.30am: British bombardment intensifies, field guns switch to HE and also fire at breastworks. The lead battalions of the two assaulting Brigades of 1st Division go over the top to take up a position only 80 yards from German front. (2nd Brigade has 1/Northants and 2/Royal Sussex in front and 2/KRRC and 1/5th Royal Sussex in immediate support; 3rd Brigade has 2/Royal Munster Fusiliers and 2/Welsh in front, with 1/4th Royal Welsh Fusiliers in support). Heavy machine-gun fire cuts the attackers down even on their own ladders and parapet steps, but men continue to press forward as ordered.
In the area of the Indian Corps, the lead battalions of the Dehra Dun Brigade of the Meerut Division (2/2nd Ghurkas, 1/4th and 1st Seaforth Highlanders) were so badly hit by enemy fire that no men got beyond their own parapet and the front-line and communications trenches were soon filled with dead and wounded men.
5.40am: British bombardment lifts off front lines and advances 600 yards; infantry assault begins. Despite the early losses and enemy fire the three Brigades attempted to advance across No Man's Land. They were met by intense crossfire from the German machine-guns, which could not be seen in their ground-level and strongly protected emplacements. Whole lines of men were seen to be hit. Few lanes had been cut in the wire and even where men reached it they were forced to bunch, forming good targets for the enemy gunners. The leading battalions suffered very significant losses, particularly among officers and junior leaders. Around 100 men on the Northants and Munsters got into the German front, but all were killed or captured. The advance of the supporting battalions suffered similarly, and by 6.00am the advance had halted, with hundreds of men pinned down in No Man's Land, unable to advance or fall back.
6.15am: A repeat of the initial bombardment is ordered, with the added difficulty of uncertain locations of the most advanced troops.
7.20am: Major-General Haking (CO, 1st Division) reports failure and asks if he should bring in his last Brigade (1st (Guards)). He offered his opinion that it would not be successful.
7.45am: A further one hour bombardment starts, ordered by Lieut-General Anderson (CO, Meerut Division). Its only impact is to encourage German artillery to reply, bringing heavy shelling down onto British front and support trenches. German fire continued until about 10.30am.
8.00am: First reports reach Haig, but they underestimate losses and problems. Haig also hears of early French successes in Vimy attack; he resolves to renew the effort in the Southern attack, with noon being the new zero
hour. This was subsequently moved when it was learned from I Corps how long it would take to bring supporting units up to replace those that had suffered in the initial attacks. The new attack at 2.40pm would again be preceded by a 40 minute bombardment. The various movements of relief forces were achieved only with much confusion and further losses under renewed enemy shellfire. The time was again moved, to 4.00pm. In the meantime, the German infantry in the Bois de Biez area was reinforced.
3.20pm: Bombardment repeated and seen to be a little more successful, blowing gaps in the wire and in the enemy front-line.
3.45pm: Bareilly Brigade, moving up to relieve the Dehra Dun, loses more than 200 men due to enemy shelling.
3.57pm: The leading companies of the 1/Black Watch of 1st (Guards) Brigade, brought in to replace the shattered 2nd Brigade, went over the top despite the 1/Cameron Highlanders being late to arrive and moved at the double across No Man's Land. Some reached the German breastwork just as the bombardment lifted; most were however killed or captured in the German firing trench although a small party reached the second position. The two lead companies of the Camerons, coming up on the left of the Black Watch a few minutes later, suffered heavy machine-gun casualties in crossing between the front lines. At approximately the same time, the two fresh battalions of the 3rd Brigade, the 1/Gloucestershire and 1/South Wales Borderers began to advance but were cut down without reaching the enemy. Meerut Division orders Bareilly Brigade to advance, even though it is clear that conditions are unchanged: few men even reached a small ditch 20 yards in front of their own front line, and the Brigade suffered more than 1000 casualties within minutes.
4.35pm: 1st Division orders another 10 minutes shelling but it is seen to have no effect.
4.40pm: Large explosion at German ammunition dump in Herlies, hit by a long-range British heavy shell. Smoke clouds drifting towards British lines caused a gas alarm. Br-Gen. Southey (CO, Bareilly Brigade) reports that further attempts to advance would be useless.
5.00pm: General Haig, hearing of the continued failure of the Southern attack, orders 2nd Division to relieve 1st Division with a view to a bayonet attack at dusk, 8.00pm.
9th May 1915 Attack Made
10th May 1915 On the March
11th May 1915 Reinforcements
12th May 1915 Inspection
14th May 1915 Training
15th May 1915 Change of Billets
18th May 1915 Reinforcements
19th May 1915 Concert
20th May 1915 Into the Trenches
21st May 1915 Trench Work
22nd May 1915 Reinforcements
23rd May 1915 Reliefs
24th May 1915 Reliefs
24th of May 1915 Zeppelin under observation
28th May 1915 Reliefs
29th May 1915 Reliefs
1st Jun 1915 Bombing
1st Jun 1915 Relief
2nd Jun 1915 Trench Work
3rd Jun 1915 Enemy Mines
4th Jun 1915 Reliefs
15th Jun 1915 Training and Sports
16th Jun 1915 Reliefs
18th Jun 1915 Rumours
19th Jun 1915 Reliefs
24th Jun 1915 Training
26th Jun 1915 Reorganisation
27th Jun 1915 On the March
28th Jun 1915 Trench Work
30th Jun 1915 Trench Work
2nd Ju1 1915 Trench Work
2nd Jul 1915 Reliefs
4th Jul 1915 On Stand by
7th Jul 1915 Reliefs Completed
7th Jul 1915 Reliefs
9th Jul 1915 Reinforcements
10th Jul 1915 Reliefs
13th Jul 1915 Into Billets
19th Jul 1915 Into the Line
20th Jul 1915 Instruction
21st Jul 1915 Instruction
23rd Jul 1915 Fire
25th Jul 1915 Reliefs Completed
29th Jul 1915 Working Parties
30th Jul 1915 Reinforcements
31st Jul 1915 Reliefs
5th Aug 1915 Horse Show
6th Aug 1915 Reliefs Completed
8th Aug 1915 Artillery In Action
9th Aug 1915 Reliefs
16th Aug 1915 Reliefs
16th Aug 1915 Reliefs Complete
18th Aug 1915 Reliefs
19th Aug 1915 Training
21st Aug 1915 Bombing Practice
22nd Aug 1915 Inspection
24th Aug 1915 Reliefs Completed
25th Aug 1915 Reinforcements
27th Aug 1915 Reinforcements
29th Aug 1915 Reliefs Completed
2nd Sep 1915 Reliefs Completed
5th Sep 1915 Reinforcements
7th Sep 1915 Reinforcements
8th Sep 1915 On the March
9th Sep 1915 Training
17th Sep 1915 Draft Arrives
19th Sep 1915 Officer Rejoins
20th Sep 1915 On the March
22nd Sep 1915 Medical Officer
23rd Sep 1915 On the March
24th Sep 1915 Into the Trenches
25th Sep 1915 In Action
27th Sep 1915 New Line
28th Sep 1915 On the Move
16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme
1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets
11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment
11th Dec 1915 Reliefs
26th Dec 1915 Reliefs
5th Jan 1916 Reliefs
10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens
22nd Jan 1916 Football
9th February 1916 Call Ups
17th Jun 1916 Orders
18th June 1916 Instruction
19th Jun 1916 Instruction
20th Jun 1916 Orders
20th Jun 1916 Instruction
21 Jun 1916 Orders
21st June 1916 Instruction
1st Jan 1917 Moves
9th Jan 1917 Working Parties
10th Jan 1917 Moves
17th Jan 1917 Heavy Snow
22nd Jan 1917 Working Parties and Training
23rd Jan 1917 Moves
24th Jan 1917 Moves
31st Jan 1917 Very Cold Weather
6th Feb 1917 Reliefs
6th Feb 1917 Reliefs
7th Feb 1917 Reliefs
8th Feb 1917 Reliefs
9th Feb 1917 Reliefs Complete
10th Feb 1917 Hard Ground
11th Feb 1917 Quiet
12th Feb 1917 Quiet
1st Apr 1918 Hostile Artillery
2nd Apr 1918 Trench Raids
3rd Apr 1918 Quiet
4th Apr 1918 Orders
5th Apr 1918 Moves
7th Apr 1918 Moves
8th Apr 1918 Moves
9th Apr 1918 Artillery Barrage
11th of April 1918 Enemy Guns Quieter
4th Nov 1918 Assault Made
4th Nov 1918
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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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 with2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment during the Great War 1914-1918. - Adams Frederick Guildford. Pte. (d.13th Oct 1915)
- Ballard Charles Edward. Pte.
- Beniston Frank Percy. Pte. (d.9th September 1916)
- Bennett James. Pte. (d.20th Aug 1916)
- Burr Henry Rivers. Pte. (d.18th Oct 1918)
- Burrell William H.. Pte. (d.22nd May 1916)
- Chapman MM Robert. Pte.
- Child DCM. Frederick John. Sgt.
- Clevett Herbert George. Act/Cpl. (d.6th November 1914)
- Cobourn Philip Martin. Pte.
- Deadman Alfred. Pte. (d.9th September 1916)
- Earwaker Frederick William. Pte.
- Elmes Bartlett Cecil. Pte. (d.12th Nov 1914)
- Elmes William Francis. Pte. (d.9th May 1915)
- Elworthy Charles Ernest. Private (d.14th Oct 1915)
- Elworthy Charles Ernest. Pte. (d.14th October 1915)
- Francis C. J.. Col.Sgt. (d.8th November 1914)
- Francis William Norman . Pte. (d.9th September 1916)
- Grover Walter Ernest. Pte.
- Howard Henry Augustus. Pte. (d.13th Oct 1914)
- Hurmson William. Cpl. (d.9th September 1916)
- Jackson George William. Pte. (d.7th Sep 1916)
- Jacobs William David Diver. Pte.
- Jacobs William David Diver. Pte.
- Johnston William. L/Cpl. (d.5th November 1918)
- Jolly John. Pte. (d.31st Dec 1915)
- Jones Frederick Thomas. Pte.
- Jones Herbert Stanley Joseph. L/Cpl. (d.19th Nov 1917)
- Lewis MM Leonard William. Cpl.
- Lewis MM. Leonard William. A/Sjt.
- Lewis MM Leonard William. A/Sgt.
- Lloyd Alfred W.K.. Major. (d.3rd Feb 1919)
- Manville Henry. Pte. (d.20th Nov 1914)
- Norman Sidney George. Sgt
- Payne John James. T/Cpl. (d.May 1915)
- Reed William. Pte. (d.6th Jul 1917)
- Wells VC. Harry. Sgt. (d.25th Sep 1915)
- Young John Theobald. L/Sgt. (d.24 Sept 1918)
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 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment from other sources.
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Pte. Charles Ernest Elworthy 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment (d.14th October 1915)  Charles Elworthy died 14th October 1915, aged 23 and is buried in the Noeux-les-Mines Communal Cemetery in France.
He was the son of the late Joseph and Elizabeth Elworthy. Native of Claygate, Surrey
Charles Ernest Elworthy was born (October 9th 1891) in Claygate, a small rural village in Surrey. He was the son of a farm labourer Joseph Elworthy and Elizabeth (nee Mutimer). One of six children, both his parents had died by the time he was 15 and he stayed in the village for a while working at the farm of one of his father's relatives: "Slough Farm" his job was delivering the milk. Two fields north of where he was staying lived a family called Scott, the family were just some of his many, many cousins in the village. He started "walking out" with one of them, Beatrice Alice Scott and eventually she was expecting a baby, sadly her mother would not let them marry because they were second cousins (although the law stated then (1909) that they could legally have done so).
Her exceedingly strict mother forced her daughter to leave the village and have the baby elsewhere... she also warned all of her other children to have no contact with her! Beatrice went up to London and bore a son Alfred Cecil Scott on Oct 4th 1909. Charles Ernest stayed in the Kingston area working but some time after 1911 he decided to move to Canada and ended up working in agriculture in Ontario, he attended Trinity Anglican Church near Aylmer and from there he came back to England to join up for the war. He joined up in Hammersmith - The Royal Sussex Regiment 2nd Bn. and trained in Woking, Surrey.
His service number was G/5349 and he was sent out to France on the 29th Sept 1915 and sent up to the front with a group of 392 men to join the battalion on October 4th. They were sent to Noeux-les-Mines. Two days later the battalion left Noeux-les-Mines and moved to Mazingarbe (near Loos) where they moved forward into the old German front line trenches. on October 7th. Between then and the 12th they dug towards the enemy, forming new trench systems as near as they could to the German front. They were under sniper fire from the Germans which caused casualties and deaths each day.
On the 13th October, 1915 they came under the orders of the G.O.C. 1st Bde. At 1pm the gas and smoke discharge took place and the attack over the top was scheduled for one hour later. The Battalion was ordered to send one company forward as a strong patrol to help the 1st Bde. capture the German front line trenches (Along the line of the road H13-A42 leading into Hulluch) and then a second company would be sent one half hour later to establish themselves in the German trenches immediately west of Hulluch. The remainder of the battalion, minus one company was to closely support this enterprise. A company was sent as strong patrol and C company sent as support, while B company was to support C. The 1st Brigade commenced their assault at 2pm and at 2.19 A company of the Royal Sussex advanced over the open ground. By 2.30 Lieutenant-Colonel E. F. Villiers D.S.O heard that the Camerons' attack had failed so C company was sent forward to try and take the German trenches. The telegraph lines had been cut by shell fire and so orderlies were sent running with messages for B company to advance and support C company.
In the end the 1st Bde. did not make any inroads on the German trenches and the remains of the B and C companies were brought back to the support line to await their next orders. At 5.30 the following morning they were sent out again to support the Northamptonshire regiment in another attack, but by the time they had started it was already become light and the action was called off. In the right hand column of the war Diary there is the notation for October 13th: Killed 9, OR Wounded 71, OR Missing 36, The Captains and Lieutenants are all named, as either missing or casualties but somewhere among the 116 "Other Ranks" lost that day was Charles Ernest Elworthy. He had turned 23 four days before he died.
Back in Walthamstow, Beatrice Alice Scott heard from a friend in Claygate that he was missing in action and for a month she searched for him in the military convalescent centres around London until the tragic news of his death came through. Although Beatty had nothing but one faded picture of him as a young man she still had a round faced little boy who one day would start a family of his own.... and one day one of the grandchildren would ask "What did Great Granddaddy do in the War?
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Sgt. Harry Wells VC. 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment (d.25th Sep 1915) Harry Wells was killed in action on 25th September 1915 and is buried in the Dud Corner cemetery in France.
An extract from the London Gazette, No. 29371, dated 16th Nov., 1915, records the following:- "When his Platoon Officer had been killed he took command and led his men forward to within fifteen yards of the German wire. Nearly half the Platoon were killed or wounded, and the remainder were much shaken, but with the utmost coolness and bravery, Serjeant Wells rallied them and led them forward. Finally, when very few were left, he stood up and urged them forward once more, but while doing this he was killed. He gave a magnificent example of courage and determination."
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Pte. Frederick William Earwaker 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment My grandfather Frederick Earwaker worked at Shippams in Chichester and joined up in 1916. He took part in the assault on High Wood, part of the Battle of the Somme, and was shot in the back on 9th September 1916. He was treated by a German first raider in a shell hole and under cover of darkness and walked to a trench dressing station.
He eventually went to Rouen field hospital where he was operated on and thence via HMHS Asturias to Milton hospital in Portsmouth. By the 22nd November 1916 he was in Castle Hospital convalescing. He described the food as "first rate... rabbit pies, beefsteak, puddings etc. The nurses are very nice here, too". He appears to have left around January 1917, by which point he was at the eastern command unit at Shoreham. He never returned to the front but served out the war in the Labour Corps and the RAF in the UK. He returned to work at Shippams after the war and completed 50 years’ service. He died months short of retirement in 1961.
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Pte. George William Jackson 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment (d.7th Sep 1916) George Jackson was a miner who enlisted at Earlestown, Lancashire, and was assigned to the Royal Sussex Regiment. He was a volunteer in his early 40s and if he had waited to be conscripted in 1916 he would have been exempt on age grounds. He was badly wounded during the Battle of the Somme, and died in hospital at Rouen on 7th September 1916.
He is interred at St Sever military cemetery at Rouen.
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Pte. William David Diver Jacobs 7th Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment My father William Jacobs was born in 1899 and joined the Royal Sussex Regiment when he was 17. He fought in the Somme and possibly Ypres. There is a newspaper cutting headed Sussex and the War announcing the arrival of the Cadre of 2nd Sussex at Chichester from Dover. The nick-name of the regiment was "The Iron Regiment" (because it could bend but it never broke).
My father's name was mentioned as part of the Cadre that returned.
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Major. Alfred W.K. Lloyd 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment (d.3rd Feb 1919) I come from Groombridge and, as an ex Army Officer, I was asked why Major Lloyd had a war grave in Groombridge despite dying in 1919. My first thoughts were that he had died fighting in the campaign in Russia in 1919 (which many memorials count as the end of WW1). Reading a newspaper cutting though it is clear that the injuries sustained after the battle of Festeburt plagued him thereafter, his death was probably directly attributable to this battle hence his war grave.
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L/Cpl. William Johnston 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment (d.5th November 1918) William Johnston was born 27th November 1892 in Dryloch, Ruthven, Forfarshire, Scotland. First born son and fifth child of William Johnston, a ploughman or cattleman, and Mary Mathers Cruickshanks. William had four older sisters, two younger sisters and two younger brothers.
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Pte. Walter Ernest Grover 2nd Btn. Sussex Regiment Walter Grover served with the 2nd Sussex.
© IWM
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Pte. William Norman Francis 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment (d.9th September 1916) Private William Norman Francis, born in Ampthill, enlisted Bedford. Served with the 2nd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment (service no. G/14532). He was killed in action on 9th September 1916 with the British Expeditionary Force and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. He is remembered on both The War Memorial and The Alamada, St. Andrews Church, Ampthill. Information courtesy of www.roll-of-honour.com
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Col.Sgt. C. J. Francis 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment (d.8th November 1914) Colour Serjeant Francis attended the Nigeria Regiment, W.A.F.F. is buried in the Abunerek Military Grave in Nigeria.
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Pte. William David Diver Jacobs 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment Bill Jacobs served with the 7th, 1/4th and 2nd Battalions, Royal Sussex Regiment.
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L/Cpl. Herbert Stanley Joseph Jones 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment (d.19th Nov 1917) My Gt Gt Uncle Herbert Jones enlisted in the British Army at the Guildhall in the City of London in 1915. He was originally placed in the 2/8th Essex Regiment, before being sent to France mid-1916 and later drafted into the 2nd Royal Sussex Regiment in preparation for the Somme offensive. It was sometime during 1916 that he was made Lance Corporal after taking part in such battles as Albert, Bazentin, Pozieres and Flers-Courcelette.After fighting at Lens in 1917, the Regiment fought in the latter stages of the battle of Passchendaele, and it was at Irish Farm on 19th of November that a German shell exploded killing two men outright, and wounded several others, one being Herbert. The wounded were sent to the casualty clearing station behind the line at Mendinghem, where Herbert later died of his wounds. He is buried in the Mendinghem Cemetery.
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Pte. Alfred Deadman 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment (d.9th September 1916) Alfred Deadman who died, age 42, on 9th September 1916 was the son of the late John Deadman of Northfleet, Kent. Alfred is remembered with honour in the Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval.
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Pte. Henry Rivers Burr 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment (d.18th Oct 1918) Harry Burr is said to have joined up before he was of eligible age. Possibly in 1916. Sadly, he was killed in action in Belgium just before the end of the war. There is also an article in the local newspaper saying that at some stage he was taken prisoner but managed to escape. I am still searching for the details of this. He is remembered with honour at the Vis-En-Artois Memorial.
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Pte. John Jolly 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment (d.31st Dec 1915) Jack Jolly was my uncle, my father's eldest brother. There is a family history of him being a crackshot sniper. John is buried in Chocques Military Cemetry, Bethune in France.
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Sgt. Frederick John Child DCM. 2nd Btn Royal Sussex Regiment Our Grandfather, Jack Child would never tell us the truth on how he won his Distinguished Conduct Medal. The story he told us made us all very proud to call him Pappy (our name for Granddad), it wasn't until sometime after his death that one of us decided to do some digging into our family history that we found his actual citation, this was achieved via the Regimental Museum. The following are the words on his citation:
"G/4278 Pte F.J. Child
2nd Btn R Sussex R (Pulborough)
(LG 2Dec 1919)
For most conspicuous gallantry in the attack of the enemy position north of Gricourt on 24th September 1918. His platoon was held up by an enemy post on the flank. He immediately worked forward alone, killed several of the enemy, and forced the remainder to surrender. His splendid action saved this critical situation and throughout his courage, cheerfulness and ability to lead his platoon were most noticeable
Our Pappy also served in WW11 as a Provo Sargent but we have no info as of yet.
Pappy you are a still a true legend and sadly missed.
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A/Sgt. Leonard William Lewis MM 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment Acting Serjeant, Leonard William Lewis, from Midhurst was awarded The Military Medal whilst serving with 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment on The Western Front. The date of action for that award is unknown, but he was presented with his medal early in the following year.
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Pte. Charles Edward Ballard 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment My grandfather’s service record does not survive, but from other official documents I have been able to piece together a little of his war history.
Charles Ballard volunteered on 19th October 1914 and attested at Chichester, which was the depot for the Royal Sussex Regiment . Christmas 1914 found him at the Connaught Barracks (Dover) undergoing final training with 3rd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment. He disembarked in France on 11th January, 1915 and joined the 2nd Btn. on 18th of January, 1915.
He was originally a rifleman, but at some point was trained as a bomber, i.e. a specialist thrower of Mills grenades (bombs). This meant that he would go out on trench raids, unarmed except for his bombs, as part of a nine-man patrol (two each of throwers, bomb-carriers, bayonet-men, reserves and one sergeant or 2/Lt.) to attack enemy trenches in order to capture a prisoner; this was quite dangerous, and was usually done at night.
His entire war was spent on the Western Front with 2nd Royal Sussex Regiment, which formed part of the 2nd Brigade in the 1st Division; he was transferred to Class Z of the Army Reserve (i.e. demobilized) on 10th February, 1919. As an aside, the 2nd Bn. Royal Sussex Regiment had earned the name of the “Iron Regiment†from German prisoners taken on 1st November, 1914, because of its stout defence at the First Battle of Ypres.
The 1st Division was selected to be a part of the Allied forces that occupied part of Germany, under the terms of the Armistice. The ‘March to the Rhine’ started on 17th November, 1918 and 2n Royal Sussex Regiment crossed into Germany on 17th December, 1918.
C Coy celebrated its Christmas dinner at Witterschlick (Germany) on 27th December and afterwards enjoyed a regimental concert. I have assumed that my grandfather was there.
From family research, I have discovered that he lost at least two relatives. The first was his cousin, Pte. Frederick G. Adams, L/10699, D Coy, 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment (see his entry on this website). The family story passed down from my grandfather is that young Fred (d. 13th October, 1915 aged 17 years and 8 months) was shot in the head by a German sniper during his first week in the trenches at Loos.
The second was his brother-in-law, Pte. Henry J. Mitchell, G/16053, 7th Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment . Henry was killed in action on 5th April, 1918 (aged 21 years) and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial.
Grandfather would not talk about the war, except the following three snippets passed down from my father.
1. He was one of only six in his company of about 200+ men to survive the war neither killed nor wounded.
2. He once killed 28 Germans in a trench attack.
3. He described No. 1 Field Punishment (tied to a wagon wheel) to my father.
My grandfather had previously served with 2nd Royal Sussex Regiment as a regular soldier in 1902-5, and his time in the Reserve (9 years) had just expired in April 1914. I would assume that he knew when to keep his head down with regards to discipline, and would like to think that he was unlikely to have been a recipient of No. 1 FP. Lest we forget!
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Sgt Sidney George Norman 2nd Btn Royal Sussex Regiment Sidney Norman volunteered in February 1915, and in the following July was sent to France. During his service he was mentioned in dispatches for good scouting in Loos-Hulluch between November 1915 and January 1916. He was promoted to sergeant but was then wounded, then sent home to England, where on his recovery he worked with the Home duties until being demobilised.
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Pte. Philip Martin Cobourn 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment My grandfather Philip Cobourn served in WW1 and WW2. I don't know his service history and would be glad of any information. I do have his medal record and a certificate that he was awarded in WW2 when he served with the 18th County of London Battalion issued by General Headquaters Home Forces Home Guard. The date reads 1st Jan 1943, I would love to know more about this and if possible where he served
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