157015 Pte. Sidney Saville Biggs

Ligny-St. Flochel British Cemetery

Averdoingt

Pas de Calais

France

Born in Cambridge, England, in June 1890, Sidney was a labourer by trade when he signed on in St. Catherines, Ontario, in October 1915.

With 9 months previous military experience, with the 19th Regiment, Sydney originally attested into the 81st Battalion on October 5th, 1915.

The 81st Battalion supplied 390 men to the 4th CMR, after their huge losses at the 'Battle for Mount Sorrel' on June 2nd, 1916. As a result, Sydney found himself transferred to the 4th CMR on June 7th.

At the time of his loss, on August 28th, 1918, the 4th CMR were in the front line at Feuchy, just west of Arras, France, and had just been involved in an attack on Monchy-le-Preux on the 27th. Ordered to take enemy trenches to the south of Boiry on the 28th, such was the advance on the 27th, that the men had to move forward 6,000 yards (5.5km) over difficult ground before even being able to engage their foe.

In that action, shortly after leaving the "jumping off" point, Sydney was severely wounded in the back by a close enemy shell explosion. Although evacuated to No. 1 Casualty Clearing Station, he succumbed to his wounds the same day. Casualties from the attack and subsequent consolidation amounted to 4 officers killed, 11 wounded, and 22 other ranks killed, 214 wounded.

Pte. Sidney Biggs is one of 20 men of the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles who are known to lie at rest in Ligny-St.Flochel British Cemetery, Averdoingt, France.

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Represented by Patti Croft.

Headstone image with thanks to Yvo Henniker-Heaton

Biography excerpt courtesy of 4cmr.com