Sidney MEEKE

[Jacob]

Could somebody please look in the SWDGW CD for Sidney MEEKE. He was with the 8th Battalion, Gloucestershire Reg. Thanks.

Bill White

[Tom Morgan]

37171 Pte. Sidney Meeke

Born Chesterfield, enlisted Grimsby.

Killed in Action 18.11.16.

Formerly 3307, Lincolnshire Regiment.

Tom

[Jacob]

Hi Tom. Thanks for the info.

Bill

[Steve Bramley]

Dear Bill,

Sidney Meeke was part of a draft of between 50 and 100 men from the 2/5th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment sent (probably) to replace losses suffered by the 8th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment after their assault on La Boiselle on 3rd July 1916.

The Lincolnshire Battalion numbers for these men range from about 1500 to 4500. No 2128, Pte Charles William Smith enlisted in August 1914. I suspect Sidney Meeke enlisted in the September, but it could have been later.

The majority of these men were local, from North Lincolnshire. It is possible that Sidney had moved to the area from Derbyshire or was working there at the time of his enlistment.

The 8th Gloucestershires were involved in the final day of action in the battle of the Somme on the 18th of November. This phase was known as the Battle of the Ancre and started on the 13th. The 19th Division, of which the 8th Battalion were part, made an unsuccessful attempt to take the village of Grandcourt. Conditions were terrible with ‘the ground a mass of slimy mud’

Twelve of the transferred men were either killed or later died of wounds, several more were wounded. Casualty lists appeared in the local newspapers from January of 1917. Two photographs appeared in the Grimsby News of January 5th. The first of Pte. Ernest Marshall notified his death on that day. Ernests’ niece, coincidently, is a neighbour of mine. The caption beneath the second showing Pte Walter Mew, is quite poignant;

‘Private Walter Mew, of the Gloucesters, wounded and missing since November 18th 1916. Any information regarding him will be gratefully received by his parents at the Old Cemetery, Grimsby’

Walter had in fact died alongside Ernest and Sidney.

I have the ‘Nineteenth Division 1914-1918’ by Everard Wyrall, which includes a brief description of their involvement in the battle. If you would like this please let me know,

Regards,

Steve.

[Jacob]

Hi Steve. Thanks for your reply. The information was great. It turns out this Sidney MEEK isn't the Sidney MEEK I am interested in.

Bill