Waterlot Farm

From Trones Wood the Battalion took up position at Waterlot Farm. The farm was in reality a sugar refinery, simply called a farm to distinguish it from the drab buildings on the Guillemont-Longueval road.

Map of Waterlot Farm
Map of Waterlot Farm

Successive artillery bombardments had reduced the structure of the buildings into heaps of rubble that the Germans had transformed into a defensive strong-point of their main second position.

Injury Announcement
Injury Announcement

“The heavy German shelling caused as many casualties as the Cheshire Bantams had lost on the previous day. A shell scored a direct hit on Battalion HQ killing the occupants; RSM Giles, a 26yr old Londoner, Lieutenant A C Styles, an Orderly Room Sergeant, and also severely wounding Adjutant, Captain Charles Johnson. Amongst those killed was Lieutenant Alfred Cornwall Styles, the Battalion signalling officer who had a great love of felines and who was lying on his back asleep with a cat on his chest. The shell-burst riddled Styles with shrapnel killing him instantly, miraculously the cat escaped unhurt and was adopted as a regimental mascot.”

The Cheshire Bantams by Stephen McGreal.