191620 Driver Peter McGuiggan British Army C Btty, 78 Bde. Royal Field Artillery from:Gateshead (d.19th Apr. 1917) TWO GEORDIES AND A WELSHMAN.
Lying in the military cemetery at Tilloy-Les-Mofflaines are three headstones of soldiers of "C" Battery of the 78th Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery, all members of the same gun team, who were killed outright on the night of the 19th April 1917.
In the middle is Driver Peter McGuiggan, aged 26 and on either side of him are Gunner James E. Martin, aged 34 and Gunner Albert Seymour Lloyd MM, aged 23
The War Diary of the 78th Brigade records that the Brigade was positioned at Monchy in foul weather and under constant barrage. All three were killed instantly when their gun recieved a direct hit from enemy shelling during the night of the 19th April 1917.
Driver Peter McGuiggan had been a miner in Gateshead. In fact a putter and was therefore accoustomed to working with horses. In the RFA he became a driver (of horses) and would have ridden one of the pair of horses making up the six horse team that carried the guns into action. He was married and had two small boys.
Gunner James E. Martin came from Chester-le-stret in County Durham and I unfortunately know little of his pre-war life or occupation.
Gunner Albert Seymour Lloyd was prior to the war an apprentice in Pembroke Dockyard. His father was an Alderman of that town.
The lie togethe these three comrades, two geordies and a welsheman.
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