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Rfmn. Walter Heal
British Army 2nd/21st Bn. London Regiment
from:Forest Gate, East London
(d.17th Jul 1916)
"Both Rifleman Heal and Smith were in 2nd Surrey Rifles Battalion which was a Battalion formed of varying Packets of new troops put together with more experienced troops and fed into the line to gain experience initially. On the 16th July 1916 the Battalion went into the Line as a complete and experienced Battalion near Anzin and occupied a trench called Bonnal in the front line. This trench was continually heavily shelled by the Germans on the 16/17th July 1916 and constantly rebuilt at night. It was recorded that the ration party collected three bodies form the Bonnal trench on the 17th and must presume that two of these were Rifleman Heal and Smith." This is a letter a relative got from The Surrey Rifle Association. I visit Walters grave at Louez outside Arras regularly and I am sure Rifleman Smith is buried next to him.
