Sidney Humphries

Sidney attested on 10 August 1915 at the age of 19 and was posted to the Sherwood Foresters (29134) on 14 August 1915. In April 1916 he was transferred to the 2/8th Bn Royal Scots. He was granted leave from 9-12 September 1916. He served at home until 2 February 1917 when he embarked at Folkestone for France, where he disembarked at Boulogne the same day and joined the 20 Inf Base Depot at Etaples on 3 February. On 20 February he was posted to the 5/6th Bn Royal Scots, joining the battalion the following day. On 11 April he suffered an accident 'in the performance of his military duties' while he was in a front line trench west of St Quentin near Savy Wood. He was consolidating the trench and constructing shelters when he slipped on muddy ground and fell on a comrade's bayonet which was leaning against the side of a shelter. He was admitted to No 12 General Hospital in Rouen where the wound to his right leg was described as 'trivial and in all probability will not interfere with his future efficiency as a soldier.' It is not clear from the military record how long he spent in hospital recovering from his wound, but it may have been some weeks. He returned to his unit but was wounded in action on 16 July and died the same day. He is buried in Coxyde Military Cemetery (grave ref l.J.43). In all, he served in the Army for 1 year and 341 days.

Humphries' medals (British War Medal and Victory Medal) came up for sale on e-Bay in December 2011. His personal belongings, which comprised letters, photographs, pocket book, testaments, pipe, spectacles in case, a mirror and a cotton bag, were returned to his mother in November 1917. He was found to be myopic and had been issued with spectacles by the Army in May 1916.