Identity
Person No.
23774
Service No.
Unknown
Last Name
First Name
Francis Henry
Initials
F H
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
34
Military Service
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Regiment
Unit
Secondary Unit
"A" Coy.
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause of Death
Corporal Lilford (3rd Bn D Coy) was one of the survivors of No 16 Platoon: "The third afternoon the bombardment ceased and immediately the Germans flung two full regiments of fresh troops equal to two brigades of our army against us. For a while the issue was in doubt, and then down on our left the weight of attack broke through the remnants of the 1st and 2nd South Africans, and into the gap the whole German attack poured the forces attacking us. We were again reinforced by A Coy SA Scottish, swinging across our face into the break. We were now surrounded, and a whirl of broken men were forced into our tiny sector while we fought back to back against attacks from all sides. At last the enemy drew off, but to our despair our own artillery began methodically to shell every inch of the wood and to burst shrapnel and high explosive wholesale into us. Lieutenant Somerset tried to find a way of leading us out, but while he was searching he was shot through the forehead and killed instantly."
Grave Reference
Location
Country
Locality
Coordinates
Additional Information
Notes
Son of Mary Bown(e) Somerset, of Que Que, Southern Rhodesia, and the late Henry Somerset of Newbury, Berks, England. His brother also died on service
Citation
Unknown
External Source
Unknown
South African War Graves Project