Family :

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

The Battle of the Somme 1st July - 18th November 1916 is inevitably characterised by the appalling casualties (60,000) on the first day, July 1st 1916. Having failed to break through the German lines in force, and also failed to maximise opportunities where success was achieved, the battle became a series of attritional assaults on well defended defence in depth. The battle continued officially until 18th November 1916 costing almost 500,000 British casualties. German casualties were about the same, and French about 200,000. The Somme could not be counted a success in terms of ground gained or the cost, but it had a strategic impact as it marked the start of the decline of the German Army. Never again would it be as effective whilst the British Army, learning from its experience eventually grew stronger to become a war winning army. The German High Command recognised that it could never again fight another Somme, a view that advanced the decision to invoke unrestricted submarine warfare in an attempt to starve Britain of food and material, and in doing so accelerated the United States declaration of war thus guaranteeing the eventual outcome. 287 Brethren were killed on the Somme in 1916.

Detail :

His story is caught by the newspapers, together with the portrait image, also captured in the Illustrated London News 12th August 1916.

Western Mail 19th July 1916 - "SOUTH WALES OFFICERS - SWANSEA MAJOR KILLED IN ACTION - The Welsh Regiment, which has been taking such a prominent part in the recent fighting, has lost another officer well-known in South Wales in the person of Major C.E. Bond, news of whose death in action reached Swansea on Tuesday. The deceased officer leaves a widow and three children. In civil life he was a cashier at the Swansea branch of the Capital and Counties Bank. A Volunteer officer of many years standing, he retired at the inception of the Territorial Force with the honorary rank of Major. For a time he was commandant for Swansea district of the Glamorgan National Reserve, an organisation which furnishes the Army with a large number of well-trained officers and men at the outbreak of the present war. Major Bond, in his capacity as recruiting officer at Swansea, passed 1,200 men into the Army before himself re-enlisting. At the invitation of Colonel Pearson he was the first officer to enrol in one of the new local service battalions. An extremely popular officer, he held the full confidence of all ranks."

Yarmouth Independent 22 July 1916 - "KILLED. "Major C.E. Bond, 13th Welsh Regiment. Major Bond was a son of the late Mr James Bond, for many years cashier of the Lacon and Co's. Bank (now Capital and Counties.) Like his father he was on the Bank's local staff. While in Yarmouth he was an active and popular member of the 2nd Volunteer Battalion Norfolk Regiment, and was an excellent shot. In other ways he identified himself with the interests of the town; carried out the duties of hon. secretary of the May Festival, and took very active part in organising and carrying out sports and amusements. On leaving Yarmouth he had an appointment at Cromer, afterwards went West, and when the war broke out was a bank manager at Swansea. He promptly joined the 13th Welsh Regiment, and throwing himself heart and soul into patriotic duty of getting men for the army, he was instrumental in enlisting several hundreds. Though some years 'over military age' went to the Front, and into the firing line. His wife was a daughter of the late Councillor French, of the Market place, Yarmouth. Many old townsmen have kindly recollections of Major Bond."

Masonic :

Provincial Grand Steward (Norfolk)

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley