Autumn 1916 - 13th Gloucestershire Regiment (General)

by slowhands , proud of his ancient Dean Forest roots, Sunday, July 02, 2006, 12:48 (6516 days ago)

On the 90th anniversary of the Somme offensive, perhaps its time to reflect on the Forest Pioneer's who gave their lives in the mud and gore of battle, and of course those who returned.

http://www.malvernremembers.org.uk/Fea_13Glos.html

The 'Forest of Dean Pioneers', officially known as the 13th
(Service) Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment

They were raised by Sir Harry Webb in Cinderford Town Hall on Monday night,
14th December 1914, and consisted of coal miners and labourers. About 25% of
the battalion's strength came from the Forest itself, while the rest were
miners from South Wales and County Durham, along with labourers and artisans
from the rest of Gloucestershire, and a few from Birmingham.

They went to France in March 1916, and spent the war on the Western Front,
serving on the Somme in 1916 and the Passchendaele offensive in 1917. They
suffered heavy losses during the German offensives of March - April 1918.

Further reading in the New Regard
http://homepages.which.net/~keith.walker3/LHSnr20sample.htm