Pte Henry Gould

[Romany Rose]

Hi
I am trying to find information on my Uncle ,who for too long we as a family have known hardly anything.
He was born Henry Hicton in 1896 @St Pancras,Middlesex,yet the following year he is living with his mother Mary Elizabeth Higton and her husband Thomas Henry Gould at Wirksworth ,Derbyshire,he first enlisted with the Notts and Derby ,service number 2926 ,the he joined the Manchester's 16 th Battalion,service number 40914,killed in action 13/10/1916.
...and that's all ,there is no photo,military history,medals etc ,so would love your help .Thank you

[Robert Bonner]

Rose - Welcome to the Forum.

The following will give you an indication of the conditions on that day when your Uncle was killed.

In the evening of the 12th October companies of the 16th Battalion were ordered to move up through Delville Wood and Langueval to reinforce 17th Manchesters in the front line and Gird Support Trench.  It was an exciting relief for the enemy was nervous after an unsuccessful attack on Bayonet Trench and Le Transloy which had been made during the afternoon; consequently his artillery and flares were very active.  The trenches being shallow, particular care was necessary in moving through them.  The Battalion accomplished the relief in good time considering the difficulties, and was in position by 10 pm with Headquarters based in Gird Trench.

By the morning of the 13th the 16th manned the Left Sector of the front line.  During the day the area was heavily shelled and that part of the system occupied by Battalion Headquarters, where the shelter was very inadequate, was so severely hammered that the commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel. Knox,decided at 1.35 pm to find fresh accommodation for his Headquarters.  He had only gone some fifty yards along the trench when a shell burst on the parapet at his side wounding him so severely that he died in about ten minutes.

Your Uncle was buried in Thistle Dump Cemetery, High Wood, Longueval.