251021 Pte. Christopher Bullivant British Army 10th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment from:Birmingham (d.6th November 1915) A story told by my grandma who was the sister-in-law of Christopher, who had a son called Christopher killed in WW2 and a grandson called Christopher.
In 1916 two of the friends of my great uncle, Christopher Bullivant, returned to Birmingham on leave from the ˜Front. They arrived by train in the city centre late one evening and hit every pub on their way to Sparkbrook. By the time they reached Leamington Road they discovered that Lunns, the pork butchers shop then on the corner of Leamington Road and Ladypool Road (still there in the 1950s) had been left open by Mr Lunn (no chance!). They entered (broke in!) to discover an entire pig carcass hanging. The two immediately enrolled the pig into the 10th Battalion, Royal Warwick's as Private Pig, put an army cape around him, a hat on his head and marched him between them down Leamington Road towards Stoney Lane. They stopped at the home of each of the homes of the boys killed in France since they arrived the previous year. By the time they got to my Great Grandma's house in Trenville Avenue ˜Private Pig had already lost one leg and my G.G had the second. Private Pig did not survive the evening, no one told Mr Lunn about Private Pig's adventure and demise that evening and the two young soldiers returned to the Front unsullied. Some days later one was killed and one injured later in the war.
By late 1916 the people of Birmingham were going hungry because the U boat menace was taking effect, the two boys, whose names I do not know, deserve your memories.
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