Richebourg 1916: The Day Sussex Died

[@SteveMikre44]

A tragedy that should not be forgotten. Thank you for creating this episode...🕊

[@OldFrontLine]

Thank you!

[@steveball2307]

A story that can be retold in pretty much every churchyard war memorial across the country. Both my grandfathers were Sherwood Foresters in the Great War, one wounded and one just too young to see action - both very much luckier that the nearly eleven and a half thousand Foresters killed. My father was in the 2nd Battalion in the next lot, but that's another story. Thank you for helping to keep the memory of those brave men alive.

[@OldFrontLine]

Agreed, sadly all too common a tale in the Great War.

[@grahamhollingworth8253]

Another brilliant video Paul, thank you so much for your dedication and knowledge.

[@OldFrontLine]

Thanks, I’m glad you found it interesting!

[@badboybillybear]

Thanks for the video. Lest we forget!

[@OldFrontLine]

Thank you for watching!

[@robertheywood2553]

My grandfather and his younger brother, Henry, were in the 11th Service Battalion East Lancs regiment, more commonly known as the‘Accrington Pals’. Both survived thank the Lord, incomprehensible what happened on that day. My grandmother told me that the first they heard of battle was from wounded soldiers on a hospital train. The training had pulled into the station to collect supplies. One of the soldiers asked “where are we “, he was told Accrington. And that is when the people attending the train learned of the catastrophe to the towns Battalion.

[@OldFrontLine]

Yes the 1st July hit places like Accrington very hard. I interviewed two original Pals back in the late 80s and will be filming at Serre next year.

[@999markas]

Paul love your videos; love your podcasts too. Thank you

[@paulkench4812]

Im from lewes in Sussex , our brave boys ,lest we forget 🙏❤️

[@OldFrontLine]

Thanks, a lot of men from Lewes in the 5th Battalion who died at the Cinder Track.

[@alanrichardson5606]

My grandfather was in the attack with the 13th. He was badly wounded, but survived. One day, i hope to see him in one of these old photo's.

[@OldFrontLine]

@@alanrichardson5606 do you know what Company he was in with the 13th?

[@alanrichardson5606]

@@OldFrontLine sorry for late reply. im afraid i dont know. his name is harry james richardson, number 3001. enlisted hastings ( i have the original certificate) how i wish i could talk to him now.

[@markodeen4105]

JD sent me over! I'll watch more of yor content, thanks for making it!

[@OldFrontLine]

You’re welcome here! Thanks for watching!

[@buzzybee8463]

Such a beautiful peaceful place now Thank you Paul for such an insightful short moving clip

[@OldFrontLine]

Thank you!

[@MrStickles]

Thankyou for doing this video Paul, i always appreciate the depth you go into about these places. - Would you be able to look into the Accrington Pals? I grew up there and it would be great to see a similar video. Cheers again.

[@carausiuscaesar5672]

My two great uncles were killed in this war: one in 1916 the other in 1917. They were in Scottish Regiments. They were not professional soldiers🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@OldFrontLine]

Thanks for sharing that connection to the Great War.

[@ianlee487]

Hero's 1 and all thankyou for this great video to remember them.

[@OldFrontLine]

Thank you.

[@zardoz2126]

Always wanted to read more about Lowthers Lambs and the Boars Head. Any good books available? Heard of one years ago, but never been able to find it.

[@OldFrontLine]

I published my own book online as a website - search for ‘Sussex to the Somme’.

[@sameedle8135]

Many thanks for this most poignant video. Have visited the Boar's Head site a number of times over the years, including once as a guest of the Royal Sussex Living History group in about 2008. Always worth pausing here on the way to Arras or the Somme. The sacrifice of the Royal Sussex deserves to be much better known and Paul's efforts to maintain the remembrance of this battle are to be applauded. The casualties weren't confined to the county of Sussex. Supporting the infamous June 30th 1916 attack were nine officers and 285 men of the 13th Gloucesters (the 'Forest of Dean Pioneers', recruited from across Gloucestershire, as well as from Birmingham and the South Wales and County Durham coalfields) who, while the attack was in progress, attempted to build two flanking breastworks and two communication trenches across No Man's Land. One of the trenches was dug to a length of 110 yards and to depths varying between two and five feet, as an NCO held the end of a guiding cord and shone back a torch from the German end, all while the men intermittently fought off grenade attacks. The Glosters suffered 86 casualties, 20 of them being killed. It was a truly desperate affair.

[@OldFrontLine]

Thanks Sam - and thanks for adding that detail.

[@English.Andy1]

I’m from West Sussex, very sad indeed

[@OldFrontLine]

Many lads from Bognor, Chichester and Worthing died here that too.

[@nickjung7394]

I dont appear to ne able to "like" this excellent video.

[@OldFrontLine]

Thanks for your comment, though!

[@lllordllloyd]

Tasteful and moving as always, Paul. Were both these attacks staged by Richard Haking? He certainly depopulated a lot of small towns of the Empire.

[@OldFrontLine]

Yes, it was part of his Corps sector. Sadly not many lessons learnt for Fromelles with this attack.

[@lllordllloyd]

@OldFrontLine The Germans learned well. Thank you for your work.

[@paulreed5077]

Brilliant video! (No relation).

[@OldFrontLine]

Ha! Thank you!

[@themsmloveswar3985]

Insane. And the Austrians were correct about Serbia intrigues.

[@OldFrontLine]

????

[@TheJuzi]

repeated the same failed attack? tragedy.

[@OldFrontLine]

It was an awful tragedy, yes.

[@jmazoso]

Wait till you hear about the Battle of Izono in Italy

[@davidharman7245]

I think 70% of WWI's fighting was to repeat prior failed attacks.