Another anniversary: The Battle of Richebourg

June 30 can be remembered as the anniversary of the Battle of Richebourg — intended as a feint before the Battle of the Somme. The Germans were not fooled, and the Royal Sussex Regiment (South Downs) took terrible casualties.

Here’s an account of the battle: http://battlefields1418.com/boars_head.htm

And here is a photo of some of the South Downs at training camp:

http://greatwarphotos.com/2012/06/30/the-day-sussex-died-30th-june-1916/

Among the South Downs men was poet Edmund Blunden, who wrote, in the piece “Can You Remember,”

And some are sparkling, laughing, singing,
Young, heroic, mild;
And some incurable, twisted,
Shrieking, dumb, defiled.

http://edmundblunden.org/

Nice photos here of an annual remembrance ceremony:

http://www.webmatters.net/monuments/ww1_boars_head_2.htm/