The Somme Remembered – 9th July 191619

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has our 9th of July casualty listed as L C Brodribb,

L C Brodribb was Killed in Action on this day 100 years ago.  L C, born in 1896, was the son of Thomas James Brodribb and his wife Alma Margaret nee Leaman, who had married in 1894.

The 1901 census brings L C to life – the family entry for 4 Seymour Vs Rd, has Thomas J Brodribb, Alma M, Leslie C and Hilda M.  So L C  is Leslie, to find what the ‘C’  stands for another document is needed and that document is the census for 1911.

1911 census oops!

In 1911 the family is living at 47 Downend Road, Horfield, Bristol. Thomas James signs the form in a good clear hand, but he has not been so careful when completing the information needed to complete the printed columns. Thomas, however, has included the full names of all the family – L C is Leslie Claude Brodribb! The occupations of Thomas James is Commercial Traveller in Mechanical Rubber Goods and Leslie Claude is a Commercial Clerk –  does Leslie work in the same company as his father?

Leslie Claude enlisted in Bristol, joining the 1/4th City of Bristol (TF) Battalion, of the Gloucestershire Regiment, with the service number 1254.  Leslie became a Lance Corporal and later was promoted to Sergeant.  He entered France on the last day of March 1915.

Sucrerie Military Cemetery, via CWGC

Leslie rests in Sucrerie Military Cemetery, Colincamps,  some 16 km north of Albert, with 883 other identified and 216 unidentified casualties.

One more document tells how much money was owed to Leslie for his service to King and Country – money that was in the end paid to his father in two payments.  The document has been transcribed as Leslie David Brodrick, so without a service number this document would have been a little harder to come across..