A Sad Missive

[Tom Y]

While going through my stamps I came across this letter. The gist of it seems to be that the recipient's son , Alber Schmidt, fell on 30 June 1916 and is buried in Lailly. Hopefully one of you with a better understanding of S?tterlin can fill out this bare outline.

[Guest Rick Research]

Sent rather anonymously by whoever and whatever Iberl was to the family:

We bring the deeply sorrowful news to you that your son Infanterist Albert Schmidt was severely wounded by a shell splinter in battle on 30 June 1916and died the same day at 2:30 PM at the main Casualty Clearing Station, Sailly. He is buried in the cemetery at Sailly.

His belongings, insofar as they were on his person, will be returned from the MCCS. The official declaration of death will be processed soon.

We lost in him a brave and good soldier and will hold him in honorable memory.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Sent rather anonymously by whoever and whatever Iberl was to the family:

We bring the deeply sorrowful news to you that your son Infanterist Albert Schmidt was severely wounded by a shell splinter in battle on 30 June 1916and died the same day at 2:30 PM at the main Casualty Clearing Station, Sailly. He is buried in the cemetery at Sailly.

His belongings, insofar as they were on his person, will be returned from the MCCS. The official declaration of death will be processed soon.

We lost in him a brave and good soldier and will hold him in honorable memory.

Absolute "Killer" for want of a better word.....

A Schrapnel wound on the 30th June 1916.... I wonder if that could have just by coincidence been part of the last barrage before something along the lines of...... the first day of the Somme.... for instance dig a bit deeper... you will find it is historically very interesting...

[Tony]

Absolute "Killer" for want of a better word.....

A Schrapnel wound on the 30th June 1916.... I wonder if that could have just by coincidence been part of the last barrage before something along the lines of...... the first day of the Somme.... for instance dig a bit deeper... you will find it is historically very interesting...

Ooooh yes, well worth a deeper dig. I'm wondering if that's Sailly Saillisel, the place I like to visit each June/July.

[Tony]

During the night from 26th ? 27th June, parts of RIR 6 joined IR 62 in the front line. From 29 ? 30 June, Bavarian RIR 6 was sent in to relieve members of regiments 62 and 63, some of whom had been under heavy allied artillery fire for the past 18 days.

Bavarian Reserve Inf. Regt. 6 was part of the 12 Infantry Division and would have been south of Bayern Wood going by the map.

[Tony]

Slightly off topic but here are the last two entries in the diary of a British soldier who took a stroll towards the German lines on July 1st. He fought RIR 91 and RIR 55 a few km to the north.

The attack was cancelled due to rain but cleared for the deaths of these two soldiers.

[Tony]

A British map from June 1916 showing German trenches.

Bayern Wood is at the top in the middle.

Tony

[Tony]

Here he is http://www.volksbund.de/graebersuche/conte...DB8DC4E2303CB46

Buried at Rancourt just south of Sailly Saillisel, still.

[Tom Y]

Thanks, all. I did my own search online with practically no results so your input is greatly appreciated.

[Tom Y]

Absolute "Killer" for want of a better word.....

A Schrapnel wound on the 30th June 1916.... I wonder if that could have just by coincidence been part of the last barrage before something along the lines of...... the first day of the Somme.... for instance dig a bit deeper... you will find it is historically very interesting...

My thoughts exactly.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Great thread... great items... great info !!!!!