Remembering the Worthing soldiers killed on '˜The Day Sussex Died'

The mayor of Worthing honoured soldiers from the town who lost their lives in an infamous First World War battle which became known as '˜The Day Sussex Died'.
By The Newsroom
Published 3rd Jul 2017, 11:18 BST
Updated 18th Jul 2017, 08:29 BST
A service was held in Worthing to rmember the 22 Worthing soldiers killed on 'The Day Sussex Died' in 1916. Mayor of Worthing Alex Harman with, from left, standard bearer Merlin Jones; Pat Cook, lay reader from St Georges Church in Worthing, wearing a First World War nurses uniform; Major Brian Hudson, of the Royal Sussex Regimental Association; and councillor Tom Wye. WLe10S-JNxandRtxI8HRA service was held in Worthing to rmember the 22 Worthing soldiers killed on 'The Day Sussex Died' in 1916. Mayor of Worthing Alex Harman with, from left, standard bearer Merlin Jones; Pat Cook, lay reader from St Georges Church in Worthing, wearing a First World War nurses uniform; Major Brian Hudson, of the Royal Sussex Regimental Association; and councillor Tom Wye. WLe10S-JNxandRtxI8HR
A service was held in Worthing to rmember the 22 Worthing soldiers killed on 'The Day Sussex Died' in 1916. Mayor of Worthing Alex Harman with, from left, standard bearer Merlin Jones; Pat Cook, lay reader from St Georges Church in Worthing, wearing a First World War nurses uniform; Major Brian Hudson, of the Royal Sussex Regimental Association; and councillor Tom Wye. WLe10S-JNxandRtxI8HR

Councillor Alex Harman laid a wreath at a commemorative service on Friday – the 101st anniversary of the Battle of Boar’s Head, a diversionary offensive at Richebourg in northern France on the eve of the Battle of the Somme.

In less than five hours in 1916, more than 1,300 ‘pals’ from the three Southdowns Battalions of the Royal Sussex Regiment were either killed, wounded, captured or missing. Of the 366 who died, 22 were from Worthing.

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The commemoration, organised by Armed Forces Champion councillor Tom Wye, took place at the Boar’s Head Memorial in Beach House Park, where 22 crosses had been placed to represent each of the Worthing soldiers who died.

Councillor Wye said: “It is right that we remember the 22 Worthing men and boys who made the ultimate sacrifice on June 30th, 1916.

“Worthing lost more of its finest on this day than on any other day of the war. The town remembers them with pride at the fine memorial erected by Chatsmore Catholic School last year for the centenary commemoration.”

At the service, Councillor Harman read out a message from the Mayor of Richebourg, and Councillor Wye the names of the 22 Worthing soldiers. A wreath was also laid by Julian Morgan, of Chatsmore Catholic High School.