12th (Service) Battalion, (2nd South Down), Royal Sussex Regiment.
Formed at Bexhill on 3rd November 1914 by Lieutenant Colonel Lowther MP & a Committee. Pals Battalion, the second of the "Lowther's Lambs".
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has 567 recorded WW1 deaths for the 12th (Service) Battalion, (2nd South Down), Royal Sussex Regiment. The pals battalions of the Royal Sussex Regiment suffered terrible casualties on 30 June 1916, In a diversionary attack which failed in it's purpose, 24 hours before the much better known “First Day on the Somme”.
KING, Thomas. Private, G/1603. 12th (Service) Battalion, (2nd South Down), Royal Sussex Regiment. Essex Farm Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. 24-07-1917. Age 27. Son of Mrs. Emma King of 3, North Farm Road, High Brooms, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK.
SAVAGE, W.W. Private, 9/15595. 12th (Service) Battalion, (2nd South Down), Royal Sussex Regiment. Gommecourt British Cemetery No.2, Hebuterne, Pas-de-Calais, France. 17-10-1916.
TAYLOR, Albert. Lance Corporal, G/16201. "C" Company, 12th (Service) Battalion, (2nd South Down), Royal Sussex Regiment. Authuile Militry Cemetery, Authuille, Somme, France. 13-11-1916. Age 17. Son of the late James Joseph & Ada Mary Schneider of East Ham, Essex, UK.
THOMAS, John. Private, 2601. "B" Company, 12th (Service) Battalion, (2nd South Down), Royal Sussex Regiment. Hamel Military Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel, Somme, France. 03-09-1916. Age 22. Son of Mr. & Mrs. Z. Thomas of Hastings, Sussex, UK. Husband of Ellen Louisa Buchanan (formerly Thomas) of Cross Creek, York County, New Brunswick, x Canada.
WARD, J.R. Private, G/15098. 12th (Service) Battalion, (2nd South Down), Royal Sussex Regiment. Authuile Military Cemetery, Authuille, Somme, France. 13-11-1916.
WRIGHT, C.H. Corporal, L/8233. 12th (Service) Battalion, (2nd South Down), Royal Sussex Regiment. Red Cross Corner Cemetery, Beugny, Pas-de-Calais, France. 28-08-1917.