In Memory of Rifleman A W S SNOW O/328, 8th Bn., Rifle Brigade who died on 12 February 1918 Remembered with honour GRAND-SERAUCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY RIP Young Arthur Rifleman Arthur William Sidney SNOW 8th Btn The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consorts Own) who died on 12.02.18 aged 19 Grand-Seraucourt British Cemetery France
Hmmmmmmmm, Are you tempting me Annie, this Rifleman appeared on another forum a little while ago as remembered. He was the sole casualty killed in action in a trench raid made on the 8th Rifle Brigade trenches at Sphinx Post by the 128th I.R. The War Diary reads as follows:- In the early morning the enemy attempt to raid Sphinx Post held by D Coy. The bombing is heard by Lieut. J.A. Gould who is out with a patrol. He at once faces his patrol about with the object of cutting off the enemy. A ferce fire fight ensues. The enemy who has superior numbers manages to retreat taking his wounded with him, leaving one wounded and one unwounded prisoner in our hands. NCO in charge of enemy party subsequently found dead on our wire. Two infernal machines for blowing up dug-outs also captured from the enemy. Casualties to out patrol, one OR wounded. Casualties in front line, Captain H.R. Adair and 2nd Lt. G. Brown, 1 OR killed, 5 OR wounded, 3 O.R. missing. Besides the 2 officers already mentioned the wounded were:- S/31180, Rfn. C. Arnold O/324, Rfn A. Ridpath S/35233, Rfn C. Bazell S/32355, Rfn F. Thomas S/6644, Rfn J. Renham P/1391, Rfn S. Stavely Jilled O/328, Rfn A. Snow Missing O/329, Rfn E. Stimson S/34297, Rfn H. Edgar S/1451, Rfn H. Mellor The 128th I.R. was from the Gdansk area and we are fortunate that their Regimental record of this action survives and ties in pretty accurately with the 8th R.B.'s account apart from the German account states that they bombed out on of the dug-outs that contained 12 men. Find attached two bits from the British 14th Division's war diary covering this raid. Andy
No Andy ! would I do that ?? I found him while I was looking for somebody at at Grand-Seraucourt British Cemetery and I saw how many soldiers from so many different burial grounds were brought there ! how very sad this cemetery is ...... and how very sad a young man of 19 had to die that way .... thank you for the reports ! Grand-Seraucourt British Cemetery is on the East side of the village and was made in 1920-26 by the concentration of graves from the battlefields around St Quentin, and from other burial grounds in the department of the Aisne. It contains the graves of 1,323 soldiers and airmen from the United Kingdom and two Canadian soldiers; the majority fell in March 1918; 881, or almost two-thirds, are unidentified. Special Memorials are erected to two soldiers from the United Kingdom, known or believed to be buried here as unidentified; and other Special Memorials record the names of 32 United Kingdom soldiers, buried by the enemy, whose graves could not be found. In Plots III, IV and V are many graves, identified collectively but not individually, which are marked by headstones inscribed: "Buried near this spot". The British Cemetery stands on high ground, seven feet above the road in undulating agricultural country, but with woods to the North and West. The Registers record particulars of one War Grave in the Communal Cemetery and 1,357, existing or commemorated, in the British Cemetery.
Hi Annie, Yes you would . Have to agree with you regarding some of these cemeteries though, one that always strikes me is Poelcapelle British Cemetery. This contains 7478 burials of which 6231 are unidentified, the cemetery containing the reburials of 8 other cemeteries. Andy
