Hugh Wingfield Sayres

Memorial: Cold Ashton - Holy Trinity Church

Regiment: Lancashire Fusiliers

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal

Rank and number: Captain

Parents: William Borrett and Ellen Harriet Sayres

Home address: 60 Longridge Road, Earl's Court, London

Date of death: 01/07/1916

Buried/Commemorated at: Sucrerie Military Cemetery (I. I. 71.), Colincamps, Somme, France

Age: 27

Further information:

Captain Hugh Sayres served in the 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers but was attached to the 2nd Battalion when he died on Saturday 1 July 1916 aged 27 yrs. He is buried in Sucrerie Military Cemetery, Colincamps, Somme, France.

Hugh was the only son of William and Harriet and was educated at Allen House, Guildford, Bradfield College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He left college and was gazetted as 2nd Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers on the 6th November 1899. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 4th May 1912 and Captain on the 17th May 1915. He was present with his Battalion during the coal strikes in South Wales in November 1910, and at the riots there, when he received a commendation for his tactful handling of several difficult situations. He was transferred from the 2nd to the 1st Battalion who were stationed in Moultan, India in March 1912, he was there closely associated with all forms of sport. On the outbreak of war the Battalion was ordered home, but relieved another Battalion at Aden, and later proceeded to England, and afterwards to the Dardanelles. On the 25th April 1915 he was present at the famous landing in Gallipoli on the spot now known as the 'Lancashire Landing'. He was severely wounded in May, and on his recovery went to France with a new service Battalion of his regiment. Shortly afterwards he was appointed Brigade Major and after three months applied to return to his own regiment.

His uncle Alexander Sayres is also commemorated on the Cold Ashton Memorial.

By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):

Glosgen.co.uk, Forces War Records and CWGC
Findmypast