I came across a death penny and scroll 15 years ago and have been researching his story ever since. Now the story of the whole battalion has been published, entitled " Newcastle battalion of worl war one" 16th service battalion Northumberland fusiliers. Very emotive story leading up to the first day of the Somme 1/7/16 the commanding officer, colonel ritson witnessed the slaughter and had to be restrained from going over the top, otherwise he would have been killed, and with tears rolling down his eyes kept saying over and over " my God my boys my boys"

Jonathan Rose