PHOTO PAGE 46

PHOTO OW 1 Please contact Owen Wright at :- owright@harborough.uk.com This portrait is of Owen's Grandfather, Private FRANK WRIGHT of the Leicestershire Regiment (Territorial). Owen would be delighted to hear from anyone who could add to the information that he has concerning his Grandfather's service in WW1. Following is a copy of an article that Frank wrote to the Leicester Mercury newspaper in 1956.

Extracted from The Leicester Mercury Tuesday, September 4th, 1956

Sir,- The way I took my holidays this year may be of interest to any old soldier who belonged to either the 1st/4th or 1st/5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment (The Terriers). My wife and I went to Bethune and visited the places that old soldiers knew so well. We walked from Bethune to Easars and stayed at a cafe to enquire the way. The lady at the cafe told us that she was there until early 1918, when she was evacuated. She could speak a little English and told her two grandsons to show us the way to Gorre. When we reached the brewary on the La Bassee canal it was just as I remembered it in 1918. We then walked to Gorre wood (memories of gas and H.E) and the cemetary, just as it was. From there we went to the Loisne Chateau, after crossing the stream which was our reserve line (Liverpool Line). The Chateau and been pulled down and rebuilt on the other side side of the road, but the wall along the drive was still there.In the afternoon we visited Beuvry Philisophe, Vermilles Cemetary, Hulluch, Lens, Vimy Ridge, but could not recognise any spot, only the railway line from Vermilles to our old dump near the Sussex Trench HQ. The next day we went to Arras passing through Moeux le Mines, Bulley, Gremay etc, intending to visit the part of the front where we were in June 1916 to march 1917. The only possible transport was a taxi. We visited Ransart, Pommur, Bienvillers, passing through Hannescamps to Fouque-villiers. Exactly 40 years had passed since I was last there. It was exactly 40 years to the day, August 9, 1916 since Jerry dropped a salvo of 5.9's in the orchard, killing 6 and wounding about 20 of my battalion (1st/4th) who were doing P.T. In Fouquevillers I recognised the old H.Q. The top storey had been rebuilt. I could not find the hole made by German fixed M.G in the wall near gateway but the cellars were just the same. The son of the owners of 1916 showed me the trench (now a new garden path) that connected H.Q with communication trench. We then visited the cemetary at Bienvillers and saw my old pals graves. I will not mention the names but the graves are beautifully kept and attended to. It was a very interesting pilgrimage. (No 201073 Private) F.Wright.

 

 

PHOTO OW 2 Please contact Owen Wright at :- owright@harborough.uk.com This WW1 group photograph was taken at Gunthorpe, Nottinghamshire, England in 1916 and is of Owen's Grandfather FRANK WRIGHT of the Leicestershire Regiment (see above) and his comrades. (Frank Wright is the big man standing, far left). Do you recognize any of the other soldiers seen here ? To view a larger version of this image please click here > OW 2