FEBRUARY 1917

News from the Front

Lance Sergeant Lionel Bertram Walker, Royal Fusiliers was reported as Missing in Action following an attack at Miraumont on the River Ancre on the 17th February. The attack had taken place in slippery, icy conditions and the men had been pushed back by the German counter attack. Lionel was 22 and his family lived in the Ockley Road. He had joined the Royal Fusiliers at the beginning of the War and fought on the Somme in 1916.

On the 28th February Sergt. James George Dedman was also reported as Missing in Action in the Miraumont area. He had been serving with The Queens since September 1914 and had survived the Somme, but one of his younger brothers, Frank, had been killed. It was later reported that James had been wounded and was a Prisoner of War in Germany. The youngest brother, Richard, had been called up in December 1916, but was still in training in England.

It was reported that 25 year old Private George Albert Denyer had died of bronchitis at Boulogne Base Hospital. He was the son of the village blacksmith, Thomas Denyer and had been working as a butcher’s assistant before the war. He enlisted in The Queens April 1915 and had received a shrapnel wound on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 1916, but recovered and rejoined his regiment in October 1916. His older brother, Thomas was also serving with The Queens.

Gunner Alfred Tidy, Royal Field Artillery was admitted to hospital with a gunshot wound on 24th Feb. After being discharged from hospital on 30th April he was granted home leave with his parents at Hazelbank Cottages.