Private Walter Swain
30111 4th East Lancashire Regiment, C. Coy.
Born in Worsthorne 12th August 1918
Lived at 2 Gorple Street, Worsthorne
Prison of War 22nd March 1918, Hargicourt

My Great Uncle, Craven Wood was in C Company 2/4th East Lancs Rgt and was KIA on 21/03/1918 at Hargicourt. The rear lines took the brunt of the artillery at Hargicourt and consequently heavy casualties were taken there, my Gt Uncle being one, as C Company were Battalion Reserve that day. I have found a few C Company survivors.One of the 4 soldiers was 30111 Pte Walter Swain, C Company 4th East Lancashire Rgt. He was born in Worsthorne on 12/08/1878 and was captured on 22/03/1918. So he will have been part of the little band of soldiers who surrendered at Trinket Redoubt with 2nd Lt. Eadie. Pte Swain was held captive at Munster II POW camp. If you read 2nd Lt Eadie's report , it gives a graphic detail of how he took command of another officer, 5 batmen and a stretcher bearer from C Company HQ and they eventually made their way to Trinket Redoubt, surrendering on the 22nd March. Looking at Pte Swain's age, it is highly probable that he would have been one of the Batmen as he was 40 years old. In the 1911 Census, it shows he had been married to Ellen for 7 years and they had no children. Walter was a Mason in the building trade and their address was 2 Gorple Road, Worsthorne.

(Courtesy of Peter McQuade)