Sergeant Abram Webb from Belton left a fascinating diary detailing his life in the trenches during 1915. It is unusual because soldiers were not allowed to keep diaries so very few exist. In one entry, dated 19 September 1915, Abram writes: "We are very near the Germans now - only 13 yards apart - you don't have to speak or you get a hand bomb or an aerial torpedo or a trench mortar into your trenches - 7pm the Germans start with bombs and trench mortars but we soon respond with ours - also with rapid firing and machine gun fire - in the attack we get 1 sergeant and 1 lance-corporal killed in my platoon - shot right through the head and 3 wounded." Abram (named Arthur by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission) was a professional soldier, the son of John Webb and his wife. He was born in Belton on 31 October 1887 and enlisted on 13 May 1906, in the King's Royal Rifles. After serving the first twelve months in England, he was sent to Malta, where he was transferred to the 1st Suffolks and went on to Egypt where he was promoted to Corporal. His regiment returned to England in November 1914, and went out to France in January 1915. He had only been there three weeks when he was invalided home with frostbite. He stayed in England until the following July, and was then made Sergeant in the 8th Suffolks, part of 53rd Brigade. By now the Battle of the Somme was underway and Abram's brigade was involved in the desperate fighting for Delville Wood. At 7.15am on 19 July the Suffolks moved into the wood and helped push the Germans out of the southern part. The attack was made against a heavy German bombardment which caused many casualties, among them Abram. The battalion war diary recorded: "Assault delivered, met with very heavy barrage and machine gun fire." A fellow soldier spoke of Abram as "a fine soldier, who always set a good example to his men." Abram is buried in London Cemetery and Extension, opposite Delville Wood, grave 9.B.51, and is remembered on Belton's war memorial. His diaries have been published by Belton History Society in their book Belton at War. 

See where all our Rutland soldiers died during the Battle of the Somme on our interactive map.