FAMILIES AT WAR - THE BODY FAMILY
On 4th August 1914 Britain declared war on Germany, it turned out to be the deadliest conflict in history. More than 70 million military personnel were mobilised, 60 million of them from Europe. There were over 16 million deaths (10 million military and 6million civilian) and 20 million casualties. Many families were affected like, Mary Popplestone Lake, who had 4 members of her family in France during the war.
IVOR ARCHIBALD BODY
son of George Body & Mary Popplestone Lake
My 3rd Cousin Twice Removed
Private No 27961 Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry
Contracted Malaria in 1916 discharged from the army 3 Jan 1919. The Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry fought on the Western Front, Italian Front and the Macedonian Front.
Another member of this infantry well known in the UK was Harry Patch known as the Last Fighting Tommy. Perhaps he knew Ivor we will never know.
Reginald Augustus Pitt Body
son of George Body & Mary Popplestone Lake
My 3rd Cousin Twice Removed
Private No 75877 The KIngs (Liverpool) Regiment which fought in some major battles including The Sommes, Ypres, Battle of Cambrai & Battle of Scarpe at Arras. To date we have been unable to see the army record for Reginald so do not know where was. many army records from WW1 were lost during bombing of London in WW2.
BYRON ALBERT IVOR BODY
son of George Body & Mary Popplestone Lake
My 3rd Cousin twice removed
Private No 379348 Royal Fusiliers transferred to the new Labour Corps when it was established in 1917. The Labour Corps had 325,000 British Troops 98,000 Chinese, 10,000 Africans and at least 300,000 other labourers, The picture above shows the labour corps repairing roads in France an essential job for troop movements.
Vernon Aubrey Body
son of Harold Herman Leopold Body & Sarah Agnes Davies. He was the grandson of Mary Popplestone Lake
My 4th Cousin once removed
Private No 3533 4th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. The regiment increased from five to nineteen battlions during WW1. during 4 years they lost 6,000 men.
Vernon was injured in battle and died from his wounds in France. The picture shows the Chocques Military Cemetery where he is buried.