Sydney Charles Noble is typical of the men that were posted to the 2/6^th Battalion after their decimation on the 21^st March 1918.

Sydney was 28 and a resident of London. He was a newspaper printer at the ‘Times’.

He attested in March 1916 and was mobilised the following year and posted to the 43^rd Training Reserve Battalion.

After 8 months training he was transferred to the 3^rd Battalion Bedford Regiment at Felixstowe in November 1917.

Sydney arrived in France in March 1918 and was posted to L Infantry Base Depot.

He was transferred to the 2/6^th Battalion Sherwood Foresters on the 30^th March 1918 and joined C Company ‘in the field’ on 3^rd April 1918.

He fought with the 2/6^th Battalion during the Battle for Kemmel Hill (14-20 April) were the re-formed 59^thDivision suffered terrible casualties; 2363 Officers and men killed, wounded of missing.

Sidney was posted to K Infantry base on 7^th May when the 2/6^th Battalion was reduced to Cadre and transferred to the 16th Lancashire Fusiliers (2nd Salford Pals) on the 5^th July along with 52 other men from the 2/6^th.

He was gassed on the 25^th August 1918 and admitted to 9^th General Hospital Rouen before being transferred to England on HMS St Patrick.

“Whilst this action coast the 16th Lancashire Fusiliers few casualties, two days later [25th August] the still inexperienced men were subjected to a devastatingly heavy mustard-gas shelling, which left 15 Officers and 429 men as casualties”

[Salford Pals by Michael Steadman]

Sydney spent 56 days in the Military Hospital at Parkhust and 72 days in the 2^nd Western General Hospital in Manchester.

He was finally discharged from Hospital in March 1918.