In Memory of GEOFFREY LUNTLEY Private 12615 9th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby) Regiment Who died on Wednesday, 8th September 1915 No Known Grave Panel 151 Helles "Memorial to the Missing", Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey Commemorated in Perpetuity by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission & Remembered with Honour

Helles "Memorial to the Missing", Gallipoli1

Geoffrey Luntley, always known as Eric, was born in Chilwell in 1895. He enlisted on 13th August 1914 in the Sherwood Foresters in Nottingham. After training, he joined the 9th Battalion.

At the time of enlistment he had been working as a draughtsman for Mr Drinkwater of Long Eaton. There is no record of Geoffrey in the Boys Brigade Register. Again his army record is described in the Sherwoods.

On 9th October 1915, the Beeston Gazette and Echo reported the last letter sent by Geoffrey Luntley to his sister-

I am writing this letter somewhere on the seashore, somewhere in the region of the fighting where we are now resting. Yesterday we had a few exciting moments. In the afternoon the Turks inconsistently provided the Staffords with fresh fish for breakfast. It happened like this - there are five or six Staffords bathing in the sea when a shell burst, so they swam out to the spot, to find a number of fish. Not many minutes after another shell burst in the same place with the result they were twenty pounds of fish to the good. In the evening we had another exciting 5 minutes. A Taube flew right over where we were and dropped about a dozen bombs. As far as I know there was no damage done. This evening we had another exciting time, the Turks started dropping shrapnel round our camp, but without our party being any worse of it.

Am now going to hospital
. Monday, Hospital. This day or two several of us have had a busy time helping the RAMC. with the wounded. On Saturday we were very busy after 5 o’clock in fact we were carrying tea and biscuits to the wounded as they came in until half-past one on Sunday, when we managed to get some sleep until 5 o’clock when we had to start again.

Tuesday morning: I am now with the boys again. Things are a bit quiet just now but how long will it last I could not tell.

. Wednesday: You know it is two months since we left "The land of the living" and I have not received a letter from you yet. So please be quick and write.

Did you know Fred Hazzledine and Arthur Roberts have been wounded in several places, but nothing dangerous. Just ask Hilda to drop a line now and again because we look forward to the days when the mail arrives.

"Remember me to all in Beeston"

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Footnotes
¹The photograph of the Helles "Memorial to the Missing"is from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website. (http://www.cwgc.org)
²
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