No.92987, Gunner, Lewis HALLS
Aged 20
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Louis Halls was born in Brandon,(Thetford Q4-1897 4B:359), son of Rosina HALLS. His mother had three illegitimate children before marrying Lewis ROYAL in Q4-1899. 1901 census...Aged 3 (now Lewis HALLS) he was at Town Street, Brandon with his stepfather Lewis ROYAL [40] labourer; his mother Roseina [32]; sisters Edith HALLS [12] and Gertrude [9] and half brother Alfred ROYAL. All are recorded as born in Brandon but registrations seem to have his sisters registered birth in Depwade registration district. 1911 census...Aged 13, Lewis ROYAL was an errand boy, at Town Street, Brandon with his stepfather, mother sisters Edith and Gertrude; half brothers Alfred, Percy [9], Bertie [5] and Frederick [2]; half sister Doritha [3]. All recorded as born in Brandon, all the children are recorded as ROYAL. |
click here to go to the Brandon at War website for more information
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He enlisted in Norwich. "F" Company, Machine Gun Corps became "F" Company, Heavy Branch, Machine Gun Corps in November 1916, then became "F" Battalion, Tank Corps on 27th July 1917 when the Tank Corps was formed. 6th Tank Battalion war diary notes - Pages 48 - 49 - On November 13, 18 Company made the first move, trekking from Auchy -les-Hesdin to Erin ready for entraining at Erin, for our unknown destination. On the 14th, 16 and 17 Companies trekked to Erin, and the whole three companies entrained on three trains the same day. That night, about 8 pm, the train conveying 18 Company met with an accident at the horse-shoe bend in the line between Bray-sur-Somme and Le Plateau Junction. One of the trucks carrying the majority of the men on No. 12 Section jumped the rails at the head of the bend, after jolting along for some distance overturned, shooting the men under the other wagons, and causing several casualties. Sergt. Sutton and Cpl. Hicks were killed, and eight other ranks injured. The killed and injured were, after some difficulty, got out of the wreckage and medical aid secured for the injured. A letter received by Lewis' mother goes :- "Dear Mrs Halls. You will already have had official information of the death of Gunner Lewis Halls, and I am writing as chaplain of the battalion to offer you our heartfelt sympathy and to give you a few more details. He was killed last evening as the result of a railway accident, which was occasioned by a coach of the train in which he was travelling being derailed. He was killed, as far as I can tell, instantaneously. So it is some comfort to think he did not suffer. We laid his body to rest with a comrade this morning in a cemetery near here. His personal effects are being sent back to you through the usual channel. With sincerest sympathy. Yours sincerely, G.H. Francis. Chaplain." Lewis was buried presumably at La Cote Military Cemetery just west of Maricourt which used to have 39 British graves, then exhumed in 1920 and moved the short distance to where he now rests. Tank ready to advance, November 1917 photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
