Paul Goring, our own special town crier of Rye, is a Sussex man through and through and is proud of his and our county’s heritage. When an opportunity arises to make more people aware of special battles, anniversaries and key people of the county, Paul gathers a crowd and makes a cry. These occasions are always informative and often very moving. June 30 is a significant date in Sussex’s diary as it is known as “The Day Sussex died” because of heavy casualties sustained on that day in WW1.
On Monday, June 30 2025 in Rye, Paul and the mayor of Rye, Cllr. Andy Stuart paid tribute to the brave men who lost their lives or were injured on June 30 1916. 2,000 soldiers of the South Downs Battalions of the Royal Sussex Regiment, known as ‘Lowther’s Lambs’ were ordered to go over the top in the Battle of Boar’s Head.
This was a diversionary attack launched by British forces near Richebourg-l’Avoué in France, preceding the Battle of the Somme. It involved the 11th, 12th, and 13th Battalions and was intended to draw German attention and troops away from the Somme offensive, which was to begin the following day.
The Boar’s Head was a salient in the German lines, and the British attack aimed to make the Germans believe the main offensive would occur in that area, rather than further south at the Somme. The attack resulted in 366 men killed and over 1,000 wounded or captured.
The battle’s impact on Sussex was profound and special services are held on this day throughout the county and also in Richebourg-l’Avoué.
Sharon Penfold, from the Royal Sussex Living History Group, wrote from France: “On the closest Saturday in June nearest to the 30th we hold an annual commemoration at Richebourg-St Vaast cemetery.
“This commemoration was started in 2006 for the 90th anniversary by John Baines, author of the book The Day Sussex Died. Although John died in 2012 the commemoration continues to this day with the people of Richebourg and John’s son, Gary. We will remember them.”
Sophie shared the moving address from the Mayor of Richebourg, Mr Jerome Demulier, at the annual commemoration of the Battle of the Boar’s Head, Saturday, June 28 2025 :
“Members of Parliament, Departmental Councillor, Mayors, Mayor of Aubers, Dear Alain Veterans, Lorette Guards, Members of the Souvenir Français, Ladies, Gentlemen, dear Friends,
“Here in Richebourg, silence has a memory, and we are gathered here today to remember those who never returned home, the spilled blood of this youth. In the early hours of June 30, 1916, the 11th, 12th and 13th battalions of the Royal Sussex Regiment left their trenches. Ahead of them was an enemy salient nicknamed the Boar’s Head.
“They knew it was dangerous. But they went. Because they believed in something bigger than themselves: peace, justice, freedom.
“In less than five hours, 366 young men were killed or missing, and more than 1,000 wounded or taken prisoner.
“They had names, laughter and dreams. They left behind brides without husband, mothers without son, villages emptied of their youth.They came from all across Sussex, including Worthing, Brighton, Bognor, Hastings, Eastbourne…
“Many were as young as 19, 20 years old. Some of their names are:
– John William Small, 21, from Worthing.
– William Kemp, father of a 3-year-old boy.
– Ernest William Gill, 20, baker in Lewes.
– George Tidy, farm laborer, who fell while attempting to rescue a comrade.
– And Sgt. Major Nelson Victor Carter, posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for saving lives to the last second.
“These young men did not just cross the Channel. They crossed fear, the hell of shelling, and the frightening silence of the aftermath. They left behind the salty winds of Sussex, the hills of the South Downs, the laughter in pubs, the gazes of mothers, and here, in Richebourg, they fell.
“For many years, an invisible but solid bridge has existed between Worthing and Richebourg, made up of mutual respect, recognition and a shared determination never to forget, and we will continue to walk side by side in memory and into the future. A bond has been forged not by ink, but by pain, memory and fraternity.
“Every year, we honour these men, not just for what they have done, but for what they still represent: the quiet strength of those who love without hatred, who fight without hatred, who die so that others may live. These soldiers speak to us, telling us that peace is a choice. A choice they paid for with their lives. So, it is up to us to honour that choice. By remembering, by passing on, by rejecting withdrawal, hatred and indifference. Let the sacrifice of these sons of Sussex be our compass. Today, these battlefields no longer rumble.
“They have become places of remembrance, some of them UNESCO World Heritage sites, like visible scars that we choose to keep so as never to repeat the mistake. These places teach us that freedom is not an inheritance, but a fragile conquest that we must protect every day, like watching over a flame. They remind us that peace can never be taken for granted. It must be built, nurtured and, above all, shared. So let us remember and pay tribute to those young men from Sussex who fell here. Let us ensure that their names live on, that their sacrifice informs our present and guides our future. For today, as Europe is once again shaken, it is our duty to be worthy of their memory. By always choosing dialogue over violence. Unity over hatred. Peace over conflict.
“And remember the words of the English poet Wilfred Owen, who also fell during this war, and who wrote: ‘I am the enemy you killed, my friend. Let us sleep now…’
“May these words resonate as a pardon, a reminder, a call to peace. And may we, together, be worthy of these men’s sacrifice.
“Let us be the generation that turns memory into peace.”
The Battle of the Somme, which began the next day, was one of the deadliest battles in British military history.
Image Credits: RSLHG , Kt bruce .
Well done, Paul. So important to keep these memories alive.
I agree Guy. I do wonder how many men lost their lives at Dunkirk and indeed D Day.
Well done Paul.
I was sat in the outside the kino having a drink with some friends who were holidaying here who said your words were narrated perfectly with compassion and feelings.
Thank you.