Great War Album - additional images.
The Liverpool Medical Institution issued a very clear warning to Soldiers of some of the 'other' dangers that may confront them when away from home...............
This is the Oxford Water Reservoir memorial at Fayet, near St Quentin, commemorating soldiers of the Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry killed in the area during the war, but especially in the German offensive of March 1918. Nurse Harvey was from Oxfordshire, as were the soldiers remembered in my personal memories page - see the link below.
It was near here that Edward Brooks of the Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry won his Victoria Cross.
He had enlisted in the 2/4th Battalion of the Oxford & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in October 1914.
The OBLI was posted to France in May 1916 and first saw action during the Battle of the Somme on July.
Brooks was awarded the VC for an action at the village of Fayet, near St. Quentin, France, April 28, 1917.
From his citation: “For most conspicuous bravery. This Warrant Officer, while taking part in a raid on
the enemy's trenches, saw that the front wave was checked by an enemy machine-gun at close quarters.
On his own initiative, and regardless of personal danger, he rushed forward from the second wave
with the object of capturing the gun, killing one of the gunners with his revolver and bayoneting
another. The remainder of the gun's crew then made off, leaving the gun in his possession.
Company Sgt-Major Brooks then turned the machine-gun on to the retreating enemy, after which
he carried it back into our lines. By his courage and initiative he undoubtedly saved
many casualties, and greatly added to the success of the operations.” He survived the War,
and the 'enemy machine gun' can now be seen at the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Trust Research Centre
at Caversfield; telephone 01869 874352. The Centre is not open on a daily basis and visitors need to
make an appointment to view the OBLI (and QOOH) collections that are stored there.