Thomas, I am not aware of the precise circumstances of your death, nor what caused it, although so many of our comrades must have been blown to smithereens in the German artillery defensive barrage. As a former soldier in the 1st Lincolns myself, doing my National Service in peacetime in 1950, although sad to read about your death, I am pleased to be given this opportunity to salute you as a brave young soldier who lost his life in the service of his country. If we separately commemorate those of our comrades who perished on the first day of the Battle of the Somme and commemorate those who fell in the remainder of the month 2nd to 31st of July, including you, we find that you were one of the 159 who perished during that time. There must have been a further fierce attack on 3rd July, for on that day 114 of our comrades perished. There had obviously been no let-up in the fire of the German machine guns and the explosions of the heavy artillery shells and mortars from two days earlier. I can but quote the memorial hymn again, “All you had hoped for, all you had you gave to save mankind – yourself you scorned to save.” Your remains, and those of most of your comrades, were not recovered from the field of battle and you and they are therefore commemorated on the Memorial at Thiepval, where 246 Lincolns are commemorated, and the rest were commemorated elsewhere, although a few were identified and received a proper military funeral in nearby graveyards, with Guard of Honour. I also trust that you were commemorated on your home town war memorial. But you are also remembered every year at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance, when the parade is at the attention while the Queen’s Colour and the National Standard are dipped in salute as the Last Post is sounded. I offer my sympathy to your mother and other relatives who mourned your sacrifice. Rest in Peace. Harry.
Henry Harrison