Falconbridge Sidney Howard L/Cpl 24400

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Surname: Falconbridge;

Forename(s): Sidney Howard;

Initials: SH;

Number: 24400;

Rank: L/Cpl;

Born in: Hampton-in-Arden, Warwicks;

Enlisted in: Nuneaton;

Resided in: Nuneaton;

Previous Number: 2128;

Previous Battalion: 7 of;

Previous Regiment: R Warwks Regt;

MGC Branch: Infantry;

MGC Unit: 143 Coy;

Date abroad: 22-Mar-1915;

Theatre of War: 1;

How killed: KIA;

Where: France;

When killed: 06-Feb-1917;

Other Data: 1914-15 Star roll
photo: GS Archives
as told by family: "the three brothers were all in the same sector when word came along the line to Harold that his brother had been killed by shellfire. After the battle had died down, he asked permission of his CO to go and find his brother's body and bury him. This was given, and Harold took a spade and made his way along the line, through the mud, past dead men, and horses,found his brother and dug a grave. He obtained a rough cross from the store kept at the front for hasty battlefield burials and scratched on the name, number and date. Then he took a greatcoat from a dead German officer and wrapped his brother tenderley. The dead boy's face was unmarked and he looked very peaceful. Harold said a prayer and closed the grave, then went into the garden of a ruined cottage nearby, dug up a little rosebush and planted it on the grave.
Harold took up his rifle and returned to his position in the line. He felt no anger nor any desire for revenge, only an overwhelming sadness at the futility of it all. He knew that the next bullet fired might cause the same anguish for some other family. The memory haunted him for half a century.
The rough cross was replaced with a properly inscribed on shortly afterwards and Harold was able to go back some weeks later and get a photograph. The body, like most of those in the battlefield burials was later exhumed and laid to rest in a war cemetery.;

Other Notes: FALCONBRIDGE, Lance Corporal, S H, 24400. 143rd Coy. Machine Gun Corps (Inf). 6th February 1917. V. D. 3. Assevillers New British Cemetery - Somme, France.

NOK: mother - Ellen A Falconbridge, 51 Edward St, Nuneaton;

Is photo available? Yes, see VMGCRA Patreon

END OF RECORD.

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