{"product_id":"victory-medal-2nd-lt-francis-forman-3rd-battalion-dorsetshire-regt-k-i-a-14-7-1916","title":"Victory medal.2nd Lt, Francis FORMAN, 3rd Battalion Dorsetshire Regt K.I.A 14\/7\/1916","description":"\u003cp\u003eSecond Lieutenant Francis FORMAN, 3rd Battalion Dorsetshire Regt K.I.A 14\/7\/1916.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmazing set of research , I have transcribed the diary Intelligence summary as best as I can.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHour, Date, Place: TRENCHES 13\/7\/16\u003cbr\u003eSummary of Events and Information:\u003cbr\u003eFine, cold, only getting now hot later. A party of D. Coy under [Lieut. Salupon?] 8th Dorsets (attached) left our trenches about 10.30 A.M. for the purpose of capturing or putting out of action a machine gun which was situated S.W. of POZIERES in a small wood on the right of ALBERT – POZIERES road. This party were unable to reach this machine gun emplacement owing to the enemy bombing our party so heavily as to drive them back. Our party reported the enemy holding the wood in force. Another party of D. Coy under [Lieut. Kncent?] left our trenches about 1.30 A.M. to ascertain whether the enemy’s trench opposite was still being held. They returned about 3.0 A.M. and reported the trenches were manned. Neither party had many casualties.\u003cbr\u003eDuring the afternoon we received orders to attack and take enemy’s position on opposite ridge. At 8.30 p.m. 2 platoons of C. Coy under Lt. E. W. Fontes proceeded in two parties to attack. They had scarcely left our trenches when a heavy fire from hostile machine guns was opened on them. This fire was so terrific that only the first leading men were able to leave the trench and these were promptly mown down. Lt. E.W. Fontes was killed.\u003cbr\u003eOur Battn was [came out\/left?] at [?] a night and proceeded\u003cbr\u003e, Date, Place:\u003cbr\u003eCOHIN 12-7-16\u003cbr\u003eBOUZINCOURT 13-7-16\u003cbr\u003eTRENCHES 14-7-16\u003cbr\u003eSummary of Events and Information:\u003cbr\u003e[12-7-16] Windy \u0026amp; cold. Found working parties to work on HABUTERNE trenches. Whole Battn engaged.\u003cbr\u003e[13-7-16] Fine \u0026amp; warm. At 1.30 p.m. Battn moved by motor lorries to just outside BOUZINCOURT from there we moved in flights, order to ALBERT where we lay down in a field until midnight having had orders that the Battn would attack at N.E. of LA BOISELLE at 9.30 A.M.\u003cbr\u003e[14-7-16] Moved into position in trenches and were heavily shelled going into LA BOISELLE. At 7.30 A.M. after artillery preparation A + B Coys proceeded to assault. They reached their objective. Many casualties resulted chiefly from machine guns the following officers being killed: 2\/Lt Bullock and the following attached officers of the 3rd Dorset Regt: 2\/Lt Jones, 2\/Lt Baker, 2\/Lt Forman. We held the trench for seven hours when we had to evacuate it on account of the enemy’s extremely heavy enfilade fire both shell \u0026amp; machine guns. Brevet Colonel Knox who lead the attack and who had shown the greatest bravery throughout was wounded later. Major Hanson then took command of the Battn. Our casualties estimated at 150 of whom 60 were reported killed. [?]\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003efew names in Page 1 are difficult to read with certainty and I’ve marked those with [?]. The key entry for your research is clear: 2\/Lt Forman is named explicitly among the attached officers of the 3rd Dorset Regt killed on 14 July 1916 at La Boiselle, alongside 2\/Lt Jones and 2\/Lt Baker, with casualties from machine gun fire during an assault that initially reached its objective before the position had to be evacuated.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe following was from a newspaper article.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNews has been received of the death at the front of Second-Lieut. Francis Forman, of the Dorset Regiment (attached Warwick Regiment), who was formerly a master at Bournemouth School. He was killed on Friday, July 14th, after having been out only ten days. Lieutenant Forman was educated at the North-Eastern County School and Hatfield Hall, Durham University. He took his B.A. degree in June, 1905, and was appointed an assistant master at Bournemouth School on April 25th, 1912. He joined the Officers’ Training Corps in September, 1914, and in the following month obtained a commission on the unattached list of the Territorial Force for service with the Officers’ Training Corps contingent, where he did much good work, especially with the signalling. He left to take a commission in the Dorset Regiment at the end of the summer term, 1915, and after a period of training at Wyke Regis he left for France on June 29th. One of the most popular masters the school has had, his death is very much regretted by all there who knew him. This makes the third of former masters of this school who have been killed, the other two being Lieutenant J. M. Atkin, who died in action at the beginning of the war, and Pioneer P. D. F. Pean, whose death was recently announced.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gradia Militaria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53265902928200,"sku":"June26-58","price":120.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0924\/1103\/5976\/files\/IMG-1036_1388ba9b-e7d4-4819-96e5-7fb7f5cb7d8c.heic?v=1781165666","url":"https:\/\/www.gradiamilitaria.com\/products\/victory-medal-2nd-lt-francis-forman-3rd-battalion-dorsetshire-regt-k-i-a-14-7-1916","provider":"Gradia Militaria","version":"1.0","type":"link"}