Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Charles Graham, an agricultural labourer, born 1854 in Hoby, Leicestershire and his wife Hanna Alma Graham (nee Bates, married in the 4th quarter of 1875 in the Shardlow, Derbyshire district), born 1857 in Diseworth, Leicestershire. Sidney was born in the 2nd quarter of 1896 in Hoby, his siblings were, Herbert, a farm wagoner, born 21st March 1883, Alice, born 25th November 1887, Ada Bates, born 8th September 1891 and Joseph Charles, born 29th June 1893, all his siblings were born in Hoby, in March 1901 the family home was at Hoby. In January 1906 in Hoby, Sidney’s father died aged 52. In April 1911 Sidney was employed as a page boy and was residing in the family home at Hoby, together with his widowed mother and siblings, Alice and Joseph, a farm labourer. Sidney also had the following older siblings, Sarah Ann, born December 1876, George William, born 3rd November 1878 and Jane Elizabeth, born 1880, the latter three siblings all born in Hoby. His brother Joseph Charles, who survived the conflict, served, as a Sapper, number 234326, Royal Engineers.
Sidney attested into the Army on a Short Service engagement (For the Duration of the War, with the Colours and in the Army Reserve.) on the 6th December 1915 in Leicester. He gave his full address as Conery Lane, Enderby, his age as 19 years and 205 days and his trade or calling as elastic braid worker. He confirmed that he was unmarried. He gave his mother Anna Alma Graham of Conery Lane, Enderby as his next of kin. His medical examination took place on the 6th December 1915 in Enderby where he gave his place of birth as Hoby and his declared age as 19 years and 203 days, it was recorded that he was 5 foot 10 inches in height, weighed 139 pounds and he had a chest measurement of between 34 and 36 inches. It was noted that he had a slight stiffness in his right big toe. After attestation on the 6/12/15 in Leicester he was transferred as Private, service number 25806 to the Army Reserve on the 7/12/15. Mobilized on the 1/3/16. Posted to the Leicestershire Regiment Depot on the 1/3/16. Posted to the 3rd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment at Patrington Camp on the 3/3/16. Embarked from Folkestone to join the British Expeditionary Force on the 21/7/16. Joined 12th Infantry Brigade on the 22/7/16. Posted to the 7th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 22/7/16. Posted to the 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 4/8/16. Admitted to the 65th Field Ambulance suffering from a gunshot wound, fracture of ulna and inter carpel, in the field on the 27/10/16. Transferred to the 2nd Australian General Hospital on the 28/10/16. Transferred to 12th Infantry Brigade Depot from hospital on the 23/12/16. Transferred to 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 17/2/17. Admitted to the 64th ? ? Field Ambulance suffering from I.F.T chest on the 22/3/17. Transferred to the 33rd Casualty Clearing Station suffering from I.C.T. chest wall on the 22/3/17. Transferred to the St. John’s Ambulance Brigade Hospital, Etaples suffering from furunculosis on the 25/3/17. Transferred to England aboard H.S. Lanfranc on the 29/3/17. Posted to the Depot of the Leicestershire Regiment on the 30/3/17. Admitted to Hospital on the 30/3/17. Discharged from Hospital on the 4/5/17. Posted to the 3rd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 4/5/17. Embarked from Folkestone to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 10/6/17. Transferred to the 12th Infantry Brigade Depot on the 11/6/17. Posted to the 8th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 11/9/17. Posted to the 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the -?-. Joined the 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, in the field on the -?-. Admitted to Hospital on the 31/10/17. Admitted to the 11th Stationary Hospital, Rouen suffering from I.C.T. (trench feet) on the 3/11/17. Posted to the Depot of the Leicestershire Regiment on the 10/11/17. Transferred to England on the 19/11/17. Admitted to the 1st Southern General Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham on the 19/11/17. Discharged from Hospital on the 5/2/18. Transferred to the Convalescent Hospital Wearde Side Camp, Saltash on the 5/2/18. Discharged from the Convalescent Camp on the 16/2/18. Posted to the 3rd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 26/2/18. Embarked from Dover to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 31/3/18. Transferred to the 12th Infantry Brigade Depot on the 31/3/18. Posted to the 7th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the -?-. Wounded in action, in the field on the -?-. Admitted to the 64th Field Ambulance suffering from N.Y.D. on the 27/5/18. Admitted to -?- on the -?-. Transferred to the 2nd Canadian Hospital on the 3/6/18. Transferred to Infantry Brigade Depot on the 14/8/18. Joined the 7th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, in the field on the -/8/18. Killed in action, place not stated, in the field on the 1/9/18. A summary of his service records: Home Service, 1/3/16 – 21/7/16, 43 days. British Expeditionary Force, France, 22/7/16 – 29/3/17, 251 days. Home Service, 30/3/17 – 10/6/17, 73 days. British Expeditionary Force, France, 11/6/17 – 9/11/17, 152 days. Home Service, 10/11/17 – 30/3/18, 241 days. British Expeditionary Force, France, 31/3/18 – 1/9/18, 156 days. Total service 2 years and 186 days. He was awarded the British War and Victory medals. The following information was provided by Sidney’s mother, Anna Alma Graham on the 2nd September 1919, and was witnessed and signed by R. P. Farrow, Clerk in Holy Orders on ARMY FORM W. 5080 (Information on deceased soldier’s family) Father of soldier, deceased. Mother of soldier, Anna Alma Graham of Conery Lane, Enderby, Leicester. Full blood brothers of soldier, Herbert Graham, age 36 of The Nook, Enderby, Leicester. Joseph Charles, age 26 of Conery Lane, Enderby, Leicester. Full blood sisters of soldier, Annie Graham, age 44 of 114, Regent Road, Leicester. Jane Wright, age 39 of Oadby, Leicester. Alice Graham, age 31 of Conery Lane, Enderby, Leicester. Ada Andrews, age 29 of The Lodge, Braunstone Hall, Leicester. Sidney’s surviving service documents are in very poor condition, and much of the finer detail relating to the period of time that he spent in the Army, is either illegible or missing, hence the sparse overall description of his military and personal family history.
The War Diary records: 1 Sep-18 - WEST OF BEAULENCOURT. Quiet. “A” and “D” Companies moved to N.16.d for attack on SUGAR FACTORY. “B” and “C” Companies to N.17.a to support 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT and 1st WILTSHIRE REGIMENT West of BEAULENCOURT in case of enemy counter-attack. Battalion Headquarters moved to N.15.b. Attack on SUGAR FACTORY postponed.