Alfred, I am not aware of the precise circumstances of your death, nor what caused it, although so many of our comrades must have been blown to smithereens in the German artillery defensive barrage. As a former soldier in the 1st  and 7th Royal Warwickshire Regiment and 1st Royal Lincolnshire Regiment myself, doing my National Service in relative peacetime in 1950-51, although sad to read about your death, I am pleased to be given this opportunity to salute you as a brave soldier who lost his life on the Somme in the service of his country. I can but quote the memorial hymn again, “All you had hoped for, all you had you gave to save mankind – yourself you scorned to save.”  The remains of most of your comrades who fell at these times were not recovered from the field of battle and they are therefore commemorated on the Memorial at Thiepval, where so many Grenadiers are commemorated, and the rest were commemorated elsewhere. Quite a few of you were identified and received a proper military funeral in nearby graveyards, with a Guard of Honour who fired the traditional salute to a fallen comrade.  You were laid to rest in the Guards’ Cemetery, Lesboeufs with one hundred and nineteen other Grenadier Guards.  You  were remembered at St. Luke's Church in Bricket Wood at the Remembrance Day Service.  But you are also remembered every year at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance, when the parand the Last Post was sounded in your honour and yjose of ypur fellow villagers who also fell in battle. ade is at the attention while the Queen’s Colour and the National Standard are dipped in salute as the Last Post is sounded. I offer my sympathy to your relatives and friends who mourned your sacrifice.  Rest in Peace.  Harry.

Henry Harrison