Private Briggs was possibly born in UK but came from Drummoyne, Sydney and served with the 3rd battalion, Australian Infantry (AIF) Service Number 4627. He signed up in 1915 in Sydney, Australia. He trained for the Gallipoli campaign but was posted to France around 1916. He served at the Battle of Somme where he was wounded in the leg and subsequently hospitalised in the UK. While in the Uk he visited his great grandfather in Ossett, West Yorkshire and is said to have told relatives that if he was sent back he would probably not return. In April 1917 he fought at small village Hermies, France. They captured the village and consolidated the trenches. According to an eye witness account, Briggs was instructed to get some cigarettes from the pack of a wounded man. As he went to do so they were both killed by a shell blast from a stray shell. He died on Monday Easter Monday 9th April 1917, aged 27. He is buried near where he fell about a mile south west of Hermies, with 2 other comrades. He is remembered with honour at the Beaumetz Cross Roads Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France. || item 36. Wooden commemorative plaque containing :- A photograph of Private Briggs Two medals : The British War Medal and The Victory Medal His identity disc An insignia (shoulder flash) A bronze disc containing the inscription He died for freedom and honour : Dick George Briggs

Memorial Plaques were issued after the First World War to the next-of-kin of all the British and Empire Service personnel who were killed as a result of the war. The plaques were made of bronze, and hence popularly known as the Death Penny or ‘Dead Man’s Penny’, because of the similarity in appearance to the somewhat smaller penny coin. 1,355,000 plaques were issued which used a total of 450 tons of bronze, and continued to be issued into the 1930s to commemorate people who died as a consequence of the war. || Private William Melia from Bury, Lancashire served in the 3rd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment. He died of wounds on the 16th July, 1916, Flanders, France. At the time of enrolling, William was a butchers assistant who lived with his parents James and Martha at 58, Fleet Street, Bury. It seems strange that William served with the Worcestershire Regiment, however, army units like the Worcestershire’s moved around the country to train, they came to Holcombe and they probably tried to recruit men from the local area whilst here. William is buried at Estaples Military Cemetery.

Memorial Plaque for Thomas McGarry, Mercantile Marine Reserve, who died on 25 January 1917.