Victims of the Somme – Event Report

Today at noon a commemoration was held for the soldiers from The Dings who died at the Somme in World War 1. (See the event listing.)

In particular we remembered the Jeffries brothers: Arthur who was killed in action at Geuedecourt on September 16th 1916 and Alfred who was shot at dawn for desertion on November 1st 1916.

After a few words – from among others David Jeffries the Great Nephew of the Jeffries brothers, Geoff Woolfe (author of The Bristol Deserter) and Professor Lois Bibbings from Bristol University – a minutes silence was observed and a wreath was laid.

A leaflet that was handed out at the event that read:

Among the hundreds of thousands of men killed on both sides during the battle of The Somme in 1916 were two brothers from The Dings in St Philips, Bristol.

Arthur Jefferies was killed on 16th September. His brother Alfred died on 1st November. Arthur was killed in action. Alfred was shot for desertion – the only man from Bristol to suffer this fate. They were both victims of the Somme.

At 12 noon on Tuesday November 1st 2016, the centenary of Alfred’s execution, Bristol’s Remembering the Real World War 1 group will lay a wreath in The Dings Park, Oxford Street in memory of both brothers and all those others who died on the Somme. Please join us in the Park for this commemoration.

Download a PDF file of the leaflet.

Download a PDF of this poster.

• Find out more about Prof. Lois Bibbings’ work on conscientious objectors.
• This event was part of Resisting the War: Deserters, Conchies and Mutineers, find out more about future event in this series.
• We also have a pamphlet about the Jefferies brothers titled The Bristol Deserter.