220531 2nd Lt. Guy Wilfred Smith British Army 13th Btn York & Lancs My grandfather was a 2nd Lieutenant in the 4th Hull Pals (13th East Yorks) and he recalled on the eve of the Somme he was detailed in charge of men from the Chinese Labour Corps to dig grave pits in anticipation of the coming battle in the morning.
As a decent amateur tenor singer before and after the war - mainly Gilbert and Sullivan - he entertained his men with a rendition of "Little Home (or house) in the West" - in his few mentions of the Somme he referred to the bloody sugar factory at Serre. He was, of course, lucky in that the 3rd and 4th Hull were held in reserve as the 1st and 2nd Hull Pals (10&11th East Yorks) went over the top .
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