13th August 1916 - The Battle of the #Somme Much has been made of the short battlefield survival of officers, particularly subalterns who for a disproportionately high percentage of casualties of the Great War. Perhaps understandable as their role often involved leading by example or making a demonstration of encouragement. Both contrary to the alternative principles of war, to whit never draw attention to yourself in a firefight! Many of these young leaders were distinguished by their achievements already in life, despite their youth. Lewis Thierry Seymour was a prime example. Born in 1893, he was educated at Christ Church Cathedral School and at St Edwards School,Oxford. He had been a prefect and a member of both the XV and XI and the OTC. He won a Classics exhibition to Wadham College and continued his military interests in the UTC and latterly King Edwards Horse. Seymour would have been a golden catch for the Kitchener New Army. Trained as a young officer already, he would have been an asset. In fact he was commissioned into the Yorks & Lancs Regiment and sent to Strensall Camp, as an instructor. He was posted from there in the late summer of 1916 and joined his battalion on the Somme. He and his section were all killed by a trench mortar strike near Beaumont Hamel. The apparent lottery of artillery fire was perhaps not so much guided by luck as skill in that area. The Germans had no doubt pre-registered most potential targets. He was buried in the Engelbelmer Communal Cemetery. Unusually he is also remembered on four further war memorials; as a chorister at Christchurch, at St Edwards, at Wadham College and St Margarets Church, Oxford where he was a parishioner.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 07:17:07 +0000