In memory of Ralph Motson Thompson, Old Silcoatian, who was killed 1st July 1916 on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

Ralph was serving as a private in the 10th Bn Lincolnshire Regiment (The Grimsby Chums), a pals battalion which formed part of 101st Brigade in 34th Division. The battalion objective was the fortified village of La Boiselle; it went over the top in the first wave of the attack. A huge mine, the Lochnagar, was detonated two minutes before zero hour, and the Chums advanced to occupy the crater. Many were pinned down there for the rest of the day, though a very small number made it into the German trenches before being forced to retreat. By the end of the day, the Grimsby Chums had suffered 502 casualties; only 102 were unhurt.

The Grimsby Chums had been formed on 9th September 1914. During the course of the war, the battalion suffered 810 fatalities, more than its entire establishment. By May 1918, its losses were so severe that it was reduced to cadre strength.

Ralph’s body was never found. His name is listed on the Thiepval Memorial, along with 72,245 other British and South African soldiers who were killed in the area and have no known grave.

The action in which he was killed was only the opening phase of the Somme offensive and became known as the Battle of Albert. It was the first time the new armies of volunteers from 1914 were launched at the enemy and from this point, Silcoatian casualties rose dramatically.

The Somme battle would rage for another five months. By its close, nine Silcoatians had been confirmed killed, and 11 wounded; two more were missing.

Jonathon Keymer