[HTS-members] The Somme

[Roger]

Two items to remind us all.

 

From: Maidenhead Heritage Centre <mailto:info at maidenheadheritage.org.uk>  

Sent: Friday, July 1, 2016 11:29 AM

Subject: World War I guided walk Saturday 2nd

 

World War I guided w 100 years after the Battle of the Somme began, we offer
a special guided walk around sites in Maidenhead centre with strong World
War I connections.
Date & time: Saturday 2nd of July at 2pm
Duration: 1hr 15 mins, followed by tea and biscuits at Maidenhead Heritage
Centre
Location: Meet at the Maidenhead Heritage Centre at 2pm
Cost: £5, numbers limited, please book in advance 01628 780555

 

 

Subject: A Sombre Anniversary

Friends and Neighbours....

 33 men of Taplow and Hitcham were killed during the Great War.

 Tomorrow is 1 July 1916 - the centenary of the beginning of the first
Battle of the Somme, during which almost 482,000 Britons lost their lives. 

 Nine had local connections.

 Two Taplovians were killed during the build-up to the battle....

 Gunner Gordon Leyster of The Nest (now Victoria Cottage, High Street) and
the 136th Battery of the Royal Field Artillery fell at Albert on 3 June

 On 6 June, Lance Corporal Ted Sims of Taplow Hill Cottages (where 1 to 8
Cedar Chase are now) and the Alberta Infantry Regiment died of wounds
sustained a few days before

 [Ted's brother Sergeant Tom Sims of Taplow Hill Cottages and the Machine
Gun Corps died of wounds at Farnborough Hospital on 26 May 1919 to be buried
in St Nicolas' Churchyard]

 Four more Taplovians and a Hitchamite were killed during the battle
itself....

 On 1 July, Sergeant Freddie Hurn MM of Triangle Cottages, Taplow Common
(opposite The Feathers) and the 6th Battalion of the Royal Berkshire
Regiment fell at Carnoy and Rifleman Charles Penn of the London Regiment of
the Queen's Westminster Rifles     was also killed

 Private George Grantham of The Kennels, Common Road (now Cliveden Road) and
the Bedfordshire Regiment fell on 15 July

 On 9 September, Captain John Webster of The Knowle (now Maryfield) and the
1st/4th City of London Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers fell at Ginchy 

 Lance Corporal Francis Slater of Hitcham was killed on 15 September

 [Francis's brother Lance Corporal Frederick Slater of Hitcham had died on 7
August 1915]

 While the battle raged, another Taplovian was killed not far away....

 On 13 July, Lieutenant Richard Freeth of River Dale (now Cherry House,
River Road) and the 2nd/4th Battalion of the Royal Berkshire Regiment fell
at Croix Barbee in Pas-de-Calais 

 And Private George Woods of Southall and the Army Service Corps died at
Cliveden Hospital on 27 October to be buried in St Nicolas' Churchyard

 

We will remember them.

 Sadly....            Nigel Smales

 

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