2nd Essex - Battle of the Somme 1 July 1916
The 2nd Essex were part of an attack on the German lines with the objective of taking the enemy trenches on the Grandcourt Pusieux Ridge.
Immediately the 2nd Essex left their trenches they came under heavy fire from artillery and machine gun. Advances were made and some German trenches were occupied although in other sections of the line there was less success and the gains were later evacuated.At the start of the action the 2nd Essex had a strength of 42 officers and 975 other ranks of which 24 officers and 606 other ranks went into action.
Of then men that went into action, by that evening, only 2 officers and 192 other ranks remained available for duty.
The wounded included the Commander, Sir George Stirling and so command was immediately passed to Major SA E Maitland and a few days later to Major R N Thompson.
Officers who fell in the advance were Captain B Smith Masters
Lieutenants T Fraser, A M Middleditch
The 2nd Essex war diary provides a list of the officers who
were involved in the attack Battalions HQ Command Lt Colonel Sir George Stirling , Adjutant Lt L W
cadic, Signal Officer Lt W Chapman, Lewis Gun Officer Lt H
Glencross , Bombing Officer Lt L ward, Scout Officer Lt A G
Allen, Medical Officer Captain Cleland , Intelligence Officer Lt
H Setchell A Company Captain F W Stevens , Lieutenants M A Chawner, S C Goodchild. B Company Captain A G de la Mare , Lieutenants A M Middleditch, W A
Smelt, L G Smith. C Company Captain C M Paton, Lieutenants T Fraser, G Waterhouse, R F
Jasper. D Company Captain B Smith-Masters, Lieutenants H Finlinson, Showers, J
T Kirk Officer in Charge of Carriers Lieutenants L M Winn, A Holmes Regimental Transport Quartermaster Captain Freestone and Transport Officer
Lieutenant O W Horne Reinforcements Captain A E Maitland, Lieutenants L H Sacre, F T Waldron, H L
White, J Ide, C H Avery, N H Perkins, C W Browne, J R Paserman.
