WWI British Letter. July 1st, 1916 Somme Attack Content. Later Killed in Action.


WWI British Letter. July 1st, 1916 Somme Attack Content. Later Killed in Action.

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.


Buy Now

WWI British Letter. July 1st, 1916 Somme Attack Content. Later Killed in Action.:
$425.00


Rare frontline letter. Content about July 1st, 1916, attack at the Somme (Serre). Brother shot through the head. Friends killed. 12th York and Lancaster Regiment (Sheffield Pals). Killed in Action at Arras in May 1917. Survived the Serre attack on July 1st, 1916. *** Please be sure to read the full detailed item description provided. Click below on \"Item description\". a.imagelink {color:#0000FF;} a:hover.imagelink {color:#0000FF;} a:visited.imagelink {color:#800080;} a.imagelink img.saleimage { border: 2px solid #0000FF; } a:visited.imagelink img.saleimage { border: 2px solid #800080; }

   *** Please see my other listings for more Active Service military letters.

   This is an extremely rare original First World War British letter, with content about the 1st of July 1916 attack at the Somme, in which this soldier\'s battalion had suffered more than 500 casualties, including his own brother, who had been killed. The letter was written in late 1916 by a soldier who survived the July 1st attack, but who was killed in action at Arras the following May, six months after he wrote this letter. This soldier served in the Sheffield City Battalion, the \"Sheffield Pals\", officially the 12th York and Lancaster Regiment of the 31st Division of the B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force).

   There is excellent content in this letter, including details of the 1st July attack at Serre and his brother\'s death. This soldier states that it had been the worst day of the war. His brother had been shot through the head, according to the letter. There is also content about having been wounded by a German shell, and about being hospitalized twice more with septic poisoning.    

*** This extraordinary letter was written in December 1916 by 12/1835 Private Henry Mountain, 12th Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment (Sheffield Pals). Private Mountain was killed in action at Arras on the 4th of May, 1917. His brother, serving in the same battalion, was 12/1836 Private Arthur Eric Griffith Mountain. Private Arthur Mountain was killed in action at the Somme, in the attack at Serre, on the 1st of July, 1916.  

Private Henry Mountain and his brother were both original members of the Sheffield City Battalion, the \"Sheffield Pals\", the 12th Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment. The Mountain brothers bore consecutive regimental numbers, indicating that they had enlisted together when the battalion was raised in 1914 from the professional and business classes of Sheffield.
After completing it\'s training the Sheffield battalion, along with the rest of the 31st Division, had been sent to Egypt, to defend against an expected Turkish attack on the Suez Canal. When the danger of Turkish attack passed the 31st Division was sent to France, to participate in the coming attack at the Somme.
On the 1st of July 1916 the Sheffield Pals attacked the German positions at Serre. In a matter of minutes the battalion was virtually wiped out, suffering over 500 casualties. Private Henry Mountain survived the attack, but was killed in action at Arras the following May. His brother Arthur was killed in the Serre attack, shot through the head (according to Henry Mountain\'s account). 

Private Henry Mountain wrote this letter to a friend at an insurance company in Sheffield. He appears to have been employed by that company prior to his enlistment in 1914.     

   The content of this rare 4 page letter is extraordinary. Private Mountain writes of the July 1st attack, stating that it had been his worst experience ever at the front. His brother, Arthur, had been killed in the attack, shot through the head:   

\"Just a line to wish you and the rest of the office a Merry Xmas, of course including the dear women. I don\'t suppose you have many men left, have you? 
Since I last wrote I have been in the thick of it, and July 1st stands out like a terrible nightmare. My poor brother got a bullet straight through his head, and poor old Bill Taylor also got killed. 
... Going over the lid, as we call it, is no joke, either for us of for Fritz, if we manage to get near that dear fellow. 

... I may be fortunate to get leave in the near future. It will be grand to see Sheffield once more. How I envy you chaps, with all your hard work you are better off than us beggars.\"

   There is much more. Private Mountain states that he had been evacuated to hospital three times so far, once when wounded by a German artillery shell, and twice with septic poisoning:

\"Have been in hospital three times, once wounded, and twice with septic poisoning. The last time I managed to get to a General Hospital, and found a spring bed and sheets very pleasant. When I was wounded I had about my narrowest escape so far. A minenwerfer, or Rumjar as we call them, a shell standing about 2 1/2 feet and weighing over 200 lbs burst 15 yds away from me. Luckily I saw it coming and laid flat down on the trench bottom. Then it lifted me and the trench board up in the air and shook both me and my nerves very badly. A piece of shell casing hit me in the hand.\"

   There is still more. In one segment Private Mountain asks if he could anticipate receiving a Christmas parcel from his former office in Sheffield. 

   An excellent and extremely rare original First World War British letter, written by a soldier in the Sheffield \"Pals\" who survived the July 1st 1916 attack at the Somme, only to be killed at Arras the following May. 

Buyer pays shipping, $10.00 in Canada, $14.00 to the United States, $16.00 Worldwide. Immediate payment is required for this listing. I accept Paypal only. Thank you.

Please Note: Canadian customers will be required to pay applicable GST/HST on all purchases. Please contact me if you have any questions. Images that
Make Supersized Seem Small.


THE simple solution for sellers.


Track Page Views With
Auctiva\'s FREE Counter

WWI British Letter. July 1st, 1916 Somme Attack Content. Later Killed in Action.:
$425.00

Buy Now