November 1916

The Battle of the Somme continued into November 1916, causing the loss of two more Ewhurst men.

Private Albert Killick, The Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment

Albert Killick was born  in Ewhurst in 1896, and lived in Coneyhurst Farm Cottage with his father, Frederick William Killick, a shoemaker, and mother, Annie Killick. He enlisted in Cranleigh in August 1914, giving his age as 19, although he could not have been more than 18 and may have been underage, as a man had to be 18 to enlist, but had to be 19 to be sent overseas. His elder brother Frederick had also joined The Queens, but was killed at the Battle of Loos in 1915.

In October he was stationed near Guillemont on the Somme, and was killed in action on the 3rd November during an attack on the Germen trenches. His body was not recovered.

Private John Frederick Scammell, The Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment

John Frederick Scammell was born in Southampton, but by 1911 was living in Gadbridge Lane.

On the 18th November he took part in an attack on German positions on the Ancre. In terrible conditions of snow and sleet, the attack soon descended into chaos and the battalion suffered severe losses with ten men killed, and 2 officers and 73 men wounded; but an enormously high proportion of the casualties were ‘Missing in Action’ - 5 officers and 173 other ranks, including Private John Frederick Scammell.