A Marksman & Mess Waiter in the 2nd Lincolns.

Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps "Cape Colony", "Paardeberg" & "Johannesburg".
2179 Pte. H. Penson, Lincolnshire Regiment.

Henry Penson, the fourth child of agricultural labourer Cornelius Penson and his wife Ann, was born in the hamlet of Mavis Enderby near Spilsby in Lincolnshire in 1868. The couple had married at the Register Office in Spilsby, on 26th September 1864 and already had three daughters. According to the 1871 Census, Cornelius and Ann (both aged 29) were living in Mavis Enderby and now had five children: Mary (8), Eliza (6), Milly (4), Henry (2) and Francis or Fanny (11 months). By the time of the 1881 Census, the family had moved to nearby Raithby, the older girls were working as domestic servants in different households and five children were still living at home: Henry (12), Frances (11), Emma (9), Betsy (6) and William (3). Charles, the couple's 9th child, would be born in 1883.

Some time later, Henry Penson found employment as a groom with Charles Faulkner of Burgh. At Louth on 18th December 1884, he attested for service in the Militia with the 3rd Lincolns. His Attestation Papers describe him as 17 years old, just over 5' 4" tall, with a fresh complexion, light blue eyes and brown hair. His religion is stated as Church of England.

Henry must have found service in the Militia to his liking as four years later, on 23rd May 1888 at Louth, he attested for regular service with the Lincolnshire Regiment, agreeing to serve for at least seven years in the army followed by five years in the 1st Class Army Reserve. Two days later, he joined the Regiment at the Depot in Lincoln. According to his Attestation Papers, he was now 20 years 9 months old, just over 5' 8" tall, weighed 112lbs and had a cicatrix of a wound on the inner part of his left ankle. Henry spent 40 days at the Depot and then joined the 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, from 2nd July to 19th November 1888. On 20th November, he joined the 2nd Battalion and embarked on the troopship Euphrates for the voyage to India.

Henry would serve in India for the next four years. On 23rd May 1890, he received his first Good Conduct Pay. In 1892, the 2nd Battalion was stationed in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, and the results of the annual musketry course held on 2nd August named B Company as "the best shooting company in the battalion." 17 members of the Company were categorized as marksmen, including Henry Penson.

At the end of October 1892, the 2nd Battalion moved to the Straits Settlements. Henry Penson was granted his second Good Conduct Pay on 23rd May 1894 and in March 1895, he was on his way back to England. On 23rd May 1895, having completed seven years of service, Henry was transferred to the Army Reserve. He was now 27 years 9 months old and his papers describe him as "steady, sober & thoroughly trustworthy", his conduct had been "exemplary" and he had been employed as a "mess waiter in officers' mess for 18 months".

On 9th April 1898, Henry married Elizabeth Lees, a woman from the parish of Stand, Whitefield, on the outskirts of Manchester. The birth of their first daughter Doris was registered in the first quarter of 1899. Following the outbreak of the South African War, Henry Penson was recalled for army service under Special Army Order of 16th December 1899. He rejoined the 2nd Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment and on 4th January 1900 sailed on the troopship Goorkha arriving at Cape Colony on 25th January. Henry's second daughter Beatrice Alice was born on 16th August 1900 while he was still in South Africa. Being abroad on active service, Henry does not appear on the 1901 Census but his wife and two children are recorded as living in Whitefield. For his service in the Boer War, Henry was awarded the medal and clasps pictured here. He was finally discharged from the army on 22nd May 1901.

By the time of the 1911 Census, Henry and Elizabeth had been married for 12 years and were residing at 9 Higher Lane, Besses o' the Barn, a suburb of Bury. Henry was working as an asylum attendant at the Prestwich County Asylum while Elizabeth was employed as a cotton weaver. Interestingly, Henry's younger brother Charles was an attendant at the same asylum. In addition to their two children, Elizabeth's widowed mother Ann and younger sister Isabella were also listed on the family's Census entry.

Henry Penson does not appear to have served in the First World War but his brother Charles served in France and Flanders with the 1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment from 13th August 1914. He was reported as wounded and missing on 19th September 1914, possibly as a prisoner of war, and regarded as having died on 1st November 1914. He was 31 years old and is commemorated on the Menin Gate.

Henry Penson appears on the 1921 Census together with his wife and younger daughter Beatrice Alice. Now aged 52 years 10 months, he was still living at the same address and still employed at the Prestwich County Asylum. He died at the age of 54, his death being registered at Bury in the third quarter of 1923. His widow and younger daughter are recorded on the 1939 Register as residing at 9 Norfolk Avenue, Whitefield.

Service in Egypt, Sudan and South Africa.

Queen's South Africa Medal with Clasps "Transvaal" and "South Africa 1902".

3631 Pte. R. Frost, Lincolnshire Regiment.

 

Thomas Edward Frost, a shipwright, and Betsy Crisp were married in Grimsby in 1873. Two years later, on 21st April 1875, they baptised their son, Robert Christopher Frost, in the parish church of St Andrew, Great Grimsby. By the time of the 1891 Census, the family were living at 1 Back Foundry Lane, Grimsby, and Robert is recorded as a 15 year old labourer.

On 17th July 1893, Robert enlisted in the Lincolnshire Regiment, agreeing to serve 7 years with the Colours and 5 years in the Reserve. He had already served some time in the 3rd Lincolnshire Militia and must have decided that life in the army would be better than working as a general labourer. His Attestation Papers describe him as 18 years and 4 months old, with a fair fresh complexion, brown hair and blue hazel eyes. His religion was Church of England. His father, Thomas, is noted as his next of kin although by 1901 he would be an inmate of the county asylum at Bracebridge, near Lincoln.

 

On 21st August 1893, Robert transferred from the Depot to the 1st Battalion. His first spell of foreign service came in 1895 when the 1st Battalion was sent to Malta for two years. It was here, in July 1895, that Robert was awarded his 1st Good Conduct Pay. On 3rd February 1897, the Lincolns left Malta for Egypt, where they would take part in the reconquest of the Sudan. Robert Frost took part in the Atbara Campaign and the Expedition to Khartoum in 1898. He would have been present at the Battle of Omdurman on 2nd September 1898. For his service in Egypt and the Sudan, he was awarded the Queen's Sudan Medal and the Khedive's Sudan Medal with clasps "The Atbara" and "Khartoum".

 

The 1st Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment left Egypt in October 1898 and sailed for India, where they were stationed in Bangalore. Robert Frost was awarded his 2nd Good Conduct Pay here and in February 1902 was transferred to the 2nd Battalion and sent to join them in South Africa. He would serve 202 days in South Africa during the final stages of the Boer War, thus earning entitlement to the Queen's South Africa Medal featured here.

 

Robert Frost returned to England in September 1902 and transferred to the Army Reserve in December. He was finally discharged from the Reserve on 16th July 1905, having served a total of 12 years. He married soon after this and the 1911 Census records him as working as a bricklayer and living at 26 Guildford Street, Grimsby, with his wife Mary Jane and 4 year old daughter Florence Jennie. In 1913, the couple had a son, Thomas Edward - named after his grandfather. Sadly, this boy came to a tragic end at the age of 13, when, on 29th August 1926, he accidentally hanged himself in his bedroom.  Newspaper reports at the time reported the inquest's verdict of death from misadventure, concluding that the boy had been imitating a scene he had seen at the pictures. It is not known whether Robert Frost served again in the First World War. There was a Robert C. Frost who was awarded a British War Medal and Victory Medal for service in the Army Service Corps but it is uncertain whether this was the same man.

 

Robert Frost later worked as a boiler fitter and died at the age of 61 on 6th February 1937. Like his young son, he is buried in Scartho Road Cemetery, Grimsby. According to the 1939 Register, Mary Jane Frost and her daughter Florence were still living in 26 Guildford Street just before the Second World War.

Pte. Vincent Patterson, Lincolnshire Regiment.

Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps "Cape Colony", "Paardeberg" & "Johannesburg".
2355 Pte. V. Patterson, Lincolnshire Regiment.

Vincent Patterson was born in Clarborough, near Retford, Nottinghamshire, around the year 1870. He was the last of four sons born to William and Mary Patterson. In 1889, having completed an apprenticeship with Mr Bradshaw, Vincent was working as a moulder, probably in the Carr Foundry in Albert Road, Retford, where heating and rainwater pipes, fireplaces, stoves and general engineering castings were made.

At Lincoln on 10th June 1889, Vincent Patterson attested for the Lincolnshire Regiment, agreeing to serve for seven years with the Colours and five years in the Reserve. Vincent was already serving in the Militia, as a volunteer in the 3rd Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment. His Attestation Papers describe him as 18 years 11 months old, just over 5' 4" tall, with a fair complexion, grey eyes and light brown hair. His religion was given as Church of England and his one distinctive mark was the cicatrice of a wound on his left temple.

On 1st July, Vincent was posted to the 1st Battalion and embarked on a period of  home service, but on 12th November he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion for foreign service in India. His first Good Conduct Pay was awarded on 10th June 1891. Following two years in India, the 2nd Lincolns set sail for Singapore and service in the Strait Settlements. Vincent Patterson finally returned to England in March 1895 and his second Good Conduct Pay was awarded in June of the same year. On 9th June, Vincent was transferred to the Army Reserve and returned to civilian life. Less than three weeks later, on 26th June, he married Alice Maud Brown, who was seven years his junior, at St Michael & All Angels church at Woolwich. The couple set up house in Plumstead, London, where Alfred, their first son, was born soon after.

Following the outbreak of the South African War in 1899, Vincent Patterson was recalled for service with the 2nd Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment, which sailed for the Cape on 4th January 1900, arriving there about three weeks later. Vincent would serve almost two years in South Africa as a regimental drummer, earning his entitlement to the Queen's South Africa Medal pictured here. Vincent's second son, Walter Kimberley, was born on 15th March 1900 during his time abroad, which no doubt influenced the choice of the boy's second name. Vincent was discharged from the army on 26th November 1901, having been found medically unfit for further service. He was now 31 years 4 months old and had served 12 years 170 days. His conduct and character while with the Colours was described as "very good." His intended place of residence was given as 7 Whitworth Place, Plumstead.
By the time of the 1911 Census, the Patterson family had moved back to Retford and were living in a four room dwelling at 33 East Street. Vincent was working as a machine moulder in an iron foundry and three more sons had been born; Henry Edward (born 12th September 1902), Sidney Herbert (born 5th February 1908), and William (born 11th September 1910).

Soon after the outbreak of the Great War, Vincent Patterson attested for one year's service in the Special Reserve. Examined at Retford on 11th September 1914, his Papers describe him as 5' 6" tall, weighing 114lbs and with blue eyes. On 15th September, he was posted to the 8th Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment and on 5th May 1915 he was appointed Acting Corporal.

On 2nd November 1915, Vincent reported sick and was admitted to hospital at Killingholme. His condition worsened and on 5th November, he was transferred by ambulance to the Grimsby and District Hospital. Extremely ill on admission, he died two days later, the cause of death being given as acute lobar pneumonia. He was 45 years old. His Papers include a note describing how he was addicted to alcohol and had been discovered under the influence of drink, asleep outside in the open, a night or so before he was taken sick. Vincent is buried in East Retford Cemetery.

In May 1916, Vincent's widow, now living at 22 Abney Street, Sheffield, was awarded a pension of 23 shillings a week for herself and three children. Not having served abroad in the Great War, Vincent Patterson was not eligible for any WW1 campaign medals but his widow would have received a bronze Memorial Plaque and Scroll.

From Mons To Gallipoli With The Lincolns.

1914 Trio.
6516 Pte. R. Crabb, 1st Lincolnshire Regiment.

Wounded At The Hohenzollern Redoubt.

1914 - 15 Trio. Silver War Badge. 3310 Pte. I. Ross, 1/5th Lincolnshire Regiment.

Irvine Ross was born in Scotton, Lincolnshire, the son of Arthur Ross, an agricultural labourer, and his wife Mary. The 1901 Census lists the couple and their six children (Albert 12yrs, Charles 10yrs, Olive 8yrs, Irvine 6yrs, Myra 4yrs and Rose 2yrs) as resident in Church Road, Bolinbroke. By 1914, the family were living at Laughton Wood Cottage, Gainsborough.

On 9th November 1914, Irvine joined the 2/5th Lincolns, a Territorial Battalion based at Grimsby, his Attestation Papers describing him as 20 years old, 5' 6" in height and with good vision and good physical development. On 17th January 1914, he signed Army Form E.624 agreeing to serve outside the United Kingdom in the event of national emergency. After a period of basic training, he was transferred to the 1/5th Lincolns on 17th March 1915. This Battalion had actually gone to France on 1st March and Irvine would join them on the Western Front on 25th June, a member of the first draft of reinforcements under Lieutenant Walcott. The draft travelled by train to Poperinghe and was met on the road by the Regimental Band, who played them to their bivouac in an open field near the village of Ouderdom, where they were received with great enthusiasm.

On June 29th, the Battalion paraded at 7.00pm and marched seven miles to the trenches south of Hooge, where Irvine would have his first experience of life in the front line. Routine trench warfare interspersed with periods in reserve and at rest continued throughout the following months. On the 13th October 1915, the 1/5th Lincolns took part in the 46th (North Midland) Division's attack on the German positions around the Hohenzollern Redoubt. The Lincolns went over the top in the first wave and were cut down by heavy rifle and machine gun fire, suffering appalling casualties. 23 officers went into action, of whom 11 were killed and 11 were wounded, one of the latter subsequently dying of his wounds. 285 other ranks were reported killed or missing and 175 were wounded. A full description of the action can be read in the Battalion history. According to this "The attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt was a feat of arms of which the Battalion will be ever proud, but the enormous number of casualties practically destroyed it for the time being as a fighting unit. The survivors for a short period were shaken and depressed and all organization was destroyed, but the task of rebuilding the Battalion on its old lines and traditions was begun at once, and carried through ultimately with entire success. "

Private Irvine Ross suffered a gunshot wound to the neck in the attack and was evacuated to England on 18th October. After five months, he was sufficiently recovered to be sent back to the 1/5th Lincolns and would serve with them from 19th March 1916 through to 26th January 1917. On 1st July 1916, the Battle of the Somme commenced and the Lincolns were in reserve for the Division's attack on the Gommecourt Salient. A full account of this action, again from the Battalion history, can be read here. On 26th January 1917, Irvine Ross was again evacuated back to England but the surviving pages from his Service Record do not reveal the reason for this. In August 1917, he was discharged from the army and awarded a Silver War Badge for "Services Rendered". He had served a total of 2 years and 283 days.

Irvine is remembered on the Scotton Roll of Honour, which was "erected by this grateful village to commemorate its faithful sons who fought for England and liberty" and is located in the church of St Genewys. He is also listed on the Roll of Honour in Scotton Chapel. He died in 1964 at the age of 69. In 2006 a new memorial was unveiled on the site of the Hohenzollern Redoubt to commemorate the men of the 46th (North Midland) Division who died there in October 1915. You can read more about the battle and the memorial here and here.

Pte. William Kirk, Lincolnshire Regiment.

Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps "Cape Colony", "Paardeberg" & "Johannesburg". (Ghost Dates)
2316 Pte. W. Kirk, Lincolnshire Regiment.

William Kirk was born in Upton, near Southwell, Nottinghamshire, around the year 1865. He first appears on the 1871 Census as a six year old scholar living in the Burgage, Southwell, with his father, John - a railway porter, and a younger brother, also called John. There is no record of his mother. By the time of the 1881 Census, William's family was living at King Street, Southwell, and both he and his father were working as ostlers and grooms. His father had married a woman called Eliza and the family had seen the addition of two daughters, Gertrude (3 yrs) and Frances (1 yr).

On 5th March 1889 at Gainsborough, William Kirk attested for the Lincolnshire Regiment, agreeing to serve for seven years with the Colours and five years in the Reserve. William was already serving in the Militia, as a volunteer in the 5th Battalion of the Derby Regiment. His Attestation Papers describe him as just over 5' 6" tall, weighing 144lbs and with a dark complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. Two days later, he joined the Regiment at the Depot in Lincoln. On 1st April 1889, he joined the 1st Battalion. He would stay with the 1st Lincolns for the next six years but see only home service. William was transferred to the Army Reserve in May 1894. The following year, the 1st Battalion would sail for Malta, eventually seeing service in Egypt and the Sudan. However, William Kirk would see his fair share of foreign service in due course.

Following the outbreak of war with the Boers in South Africa, William was recalled from the Reserve under the special army order of 16th December 1899 and posted to the 2nd Lincolns. On 4th January 1900, the Battalion sailed for South Africa on board the Goorkha, arriving at the Cape around the 25th. The Lincolns were part of the 14th Brigade, VIIth Division, and took part in the Battle of Paardeberg but were not otherwise heavily engaged. After the capture of Pretoria, the 14th Brigade was given the task of garrisoning the Boer capital and surrounding area. On 11th July, a large force of Boers attacked the post at Uitval's Nek and succeeded in capturing two guns, a squadron of Scots Greys and about 90 officers and men of the Lincolns.
William Kirk served two years and 64 days in South Africa, returning to England in March 1902.
On 29th September, William was transferred to Section D of the 1st Class Army Reserve. Four years later, he was discharged from all military obligations. His address on discharge was 2 St Leonard's Court, Kirkgate, Newark. William Kirk died of cardiac failure in Leicester on 29th January 1943 at the age of 78.

With The 1st Lincolns In The Sudan.

Queen's Sudan Medal.
Khedive's Sudan Medal 1896 - 1908 with clasps "The Atbara" & "Khartoum".
2763 Pte. G. Brown, Lincolnshire Regiment.

George Brown was born in Spitalfields around 1873. On 2nd June 1891, at the age of 18, he decided to enlist in the Lincolnshire Regiment, agreeing to serve for seven years with the Colours and five years in the Reserve. His Attestation Papers give his religion as Roman Catholic, his occupation as a printers labourer and describe him as just over 5' 5" in height, weighing 128lbs and with a fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He also had scars on the top of his head and the back of his neck.
After initial training in England, George was posted to the 2nd Battalion of the Lincolns, with whom he served over two years in the Straits Settlements. During this time, he was tried and imprisoned for ten days with hard labour - but his surviving Service Papers give no indication of what his offence might have been. In February 1895, the 1st Lincolns had arrived in Malta. Two months later, the "Jumna", carrying the 2nd Lincolns home from the Far East, arrived in Valetta harbour and the two Battalions thus came into contact after a long separation. About 375 men of the 2nd Battalion, including George Brown, were transferred into the 1st Battalion. George was to stay in Malta for the next two years, during which time he was granted his 1st Good Conduct Pay.
In February 1897, the 1st Lincolns took ship for Egypt. The following year, despite being under orders to proceed to India, the Battalion was ordered to proceed up the Nile as part of General Sir Herbert Kitchener's expedition to reconquer the Sudan and avenge the death of General Gordon at Khartoum. On 7th January, the Battalion left Cairo, travelling south via Assouan, Wady Halfa and Abu Hamed to Gurheish, where they stayed till February 13th. They next proceeded to Abu Dis and then Berber. From here the journey was trying; marches had to be done over rocky ground, and usually at night to avoid the heat of the day. Nevertheless the troops managed to cover 140 miles in six days. In the first week of April, a reconnaissance party located the Dervish camp, fortified with trenches and ringed by a thorn-bush zareba, on the right bank of the Atbara, a tributary of the Nile. On the morning of April 8th, the Battle of the Atbara was fought as Kitchener's troops advanced and captured the Dervish position, the Lincolns losing 1 man killed and 16 wounded.
In August, after four months in summer quarters awaiting reinforcements, Kitchener was ready to continue the advance to Khartoum. The final battle of the campaign was fought at Omdurman on 2nd September 1898 and again the 1st Lincolnshire Regiment were present and had 18 men wounded. For his participation in the campaign, George Brown received the Queen's Sudan and Khedive's Sudan Medals.
George returned to England in October 1898 and was transferred to the Army Reserve. Just over a year later, on 28th December 1899, he was recalled to the Colours and sent out to join the 2nd Lincolns in South Africa, where he served for over two and a half years. He was awarded his 2nd Good Conduct Pay in June 1900. For service in the Boer War, he received the Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps, the present whereabouts of which are unknown. George returned to England in August 1902 and was discharged from the army on 1st June 1903. In July 1903, he enlisted in Section D of the Army Reserve for four years. Reservists were paid 3 shillings and 6 pence a week and had to attend twelve training days per year. He was finally discharged from all military obligations on 27th July 1907. His Discharge Papers describe his military character as "good" and give his home address as 3 Gales Gardens, Bethnal Green. The picture below shows this street in 1923. It is not known whether George Brown served in the First World War.

With The 2nd Lincolns In South Africa.

Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps "Cape Colony" & "Paardeberg".
King's South Africa Medal with clasps "South Africa 1901" & "South Africa 1902".
1816 Pte. T. Slatter, Lincolnshire Regiment.

Thomas Slatter appears on the 1881 Census as a 15 year old packer in a mustard mill, the son of Isaac Slatter, a leather embosser, and his wife Charlotte of 3 King Edward Street, Bridewell, London. Thomas had an older sister but was the oldest of the family's three sons. On 1st March 1887, he joined the Lincolnshire Regiment, enlisting for seven years with the Colours and five years in the Reserve. Already serving in the 1st Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers Volunteers, Thomas must have decided that the army life was for him. His Attestation Papers give his occupation as a groom and describe him as being just over 5' 4" in height, weighing 119lbs and having blueish-grey eyes, dark brown hair and a medium complexion. He also had scars on the back of his head, right hip and right shin.
Thomas joined the 1st Battalion of the Regiment at Lincoln on 4th March 1887 but his army career doesn't seem to have got off to a very auspicious start; he went absent and, once apprehended, was in confinement and then imprisoned by the Commanding Officer for some weeks. Once released, Thomas went absent again and suffered a subsequent 17 days imprisonment. A month after his release, he was sent overseas to join the 2nd Battalion, serving over four years in the East Indies and a further two years in the Straits Settlements (Singapore). Foreign service seems to have suited Thomas better and he was awarded his first Good Conduct Pay on 18th February 1890, his second Good Conduct Pay following three years later. Returning to England in 1895, Thomas was transferred to the Army Reserve, his seven years of service having been completed.
On the outbreak of war with the Boers, Thomas Slatter was recalled to the Colours and joined the 2nd Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment, which sailed for South Africa on the "Goorkha" on 4th January 1900. Arriving at the Cape about the 25th, the Battalion joined the 14th Brigade and later, on 18th February, took part in the Battle of Paardeberg. Thomas served with the 2nd Lincolns in South Africa till August 1902, thus earning entitlement not just to the Queen's but also to the King's South Africa Medal. Following his return to England, he was discharged from the army on 28th February 1903.

Herbert Graves: A Signaller In The 1st Lincolns.

1914 - 15 Trio. 9746 Pte. H. Graves, 1st Lincolnshire Regiment.

Herbert Graves was born in 1896 in Welbourn, Lincolnshire, one of the seven children born to Charles Graves and his wife, Louisa . Charles died shortly after Herbert's birth and his mother remarried. The 1901 Census records Herbert as a 5 year old living with his family at 16 Hartsholme Cottages, Boultham, Lincolnshire. At some point the family moved to Lincoln, taking up residence at 31 Kingsley Street. Herbert was educated at St Faith's School and was later employed as a welder in the Ruston Works. In October 1913, Herbert joined the Lincolnshire Regiment and on the outbreak of the First World War was with the 1st Battalion in Portsmouth. The 1st Lincolns left for France on 13th August 1914, part of the original British Expeditionary Force, and were in action 10 days later at the Battle of Mons. However, Herbert was not with them; still only 17 years of age, his departure to France was delayed until June 1915. Having been previously trained in signalling and telephone work, once in France, Herbert joined the battalion signallers and did useful work at the front. On one occasion he was recommended for the Military Medal for "having, at great risk, laid telephone wires and opened very vital communications." But, given the choice of the medal or promotion, he chose the latter - probably it was the 3d extra a day paid to Lance Corporals that influenced his decision. Following his promotion, Herbert went to signalling school and gained his certificate in September 1917, rejoining his battalion soon after and taking part in the latter stages of the 3rd Battle of Ypres, more commonly called Passchendaele. From 6th October till 10th November, the Lincolns had "a most unenviable time." Days in the water-logged front line trenches in Polygon Wood alternated with time in reserve, furnishing working parties for digging purposes. The danger from shell-fire was constant and casualties were a daily occurrence. Herbert Graves was severely wounded on 9th November 1917 and died the same day at the 10th Casualty Clearing Station. One newspaper report at the time stated: "A sister from the hospital writes that he was suffering from very severe wounds when taken there, and never recovered sufficiently to speak." Herbert Graves was just 21 years old. He is remembered with honour at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery. Herbert Graves (seated on the left) photographed with his pal, Francis Frederick "Verdy" Coatsworth, who served with the 7th Lincolns and who died of wounds on 14th October 1917. A good conduct chevron and signaller's insignia can be seen on Herbert's left sleeve. "Verdy" has a similar good conduct chevron and a wound stripe.