Sydney Rimes

## 25 March 1918 -|- Sydney Rimes

### Biography

Arthur ***Sydney*** Rimes was born in the last quarter of 1992 in Churwell (Yorkshire) as third son of Walter and Ethel Rimes. The family moved later to Peterborough, 32 Bread Street Fletton.

A wonderful photo of Sydney posing on his bicycle as he was a keen cyclist and member of Peterborough Athletics club. Sydney Rimes was killed in action on the 25th March 1918 in the German surprising offensive at the station of the Curchy-Dreslincourt-Potte Road, near Nesle (Somme, France).

Albert Sidney Rimes enlisted on either 30th or 31st March 1915 and joined the 7th Battalion, being posted to "C" Company, the Company of the 7th Battalion raised from Peterborough men. He embarked to France with the 7th battalion on 1st September 1915 and saw his baptism of fire at the battle of Loos on 25th September 1915 where he was first wounded. The Peterborough Advertiser of 20-4-1918 printed the following:

"Laid Down His Life For A Friend - Private Albert Sydney Rimes, Northamptonshire Regiment, third son of Mr and Mrs W. Rimes, Bread Street, New Fletton, was killed in action on March 25th. Private Rimes who served an apprenticeship as a Linotype Operator at the office of our contemporary, joined up soon after the outbreak of war, and was wounded at the Battle of Loos in September 1915, and again at Menin Road in July of last year. He was at home on leave on March 15th, and the last letter received from him was dated March 21st, the opening day of the German offensive. He was a well known racing cyclist and very popular amongst a large circle of friends. In a letter received by Mr and Mrs Rimes from another son conveying the intelligence of his brother's death he says: "The last fortnight has been terrible, and I didn't think I should get out of it alive as we have lost such a lot of men. Try and bear it bravely, and keep a stout heart. I made enquiries this morning and saw the fellows who were with him when it happened. He gave his life in trying to save Bill Poole, his chum, it was at ...{censored}... Station, on March 25th, in the morning during a counter attack on the Germans. It appears that a party were in charge of somebody when they were led into a death trap position, and they were quite close to the Germans when they opened fire en them. Bill Poole was hit in both legs, also somebody else, and the remainder clambered down into a trench. Syd would get out to help his mate, and in doing so he was hit straight through the head and was killed instantly. A Peterborough Chum named Sam Crowder has got his wallet and a few things, but he has since been wounded."

Albert Rimes grave is one of the two Northamptonshire Regimentt graves in a small cemetery in Pargny. He was killed at the station of the Curchy-Dreslincourt-Potte Road. Albert Rimes was presumably buried by the Germans when the British withdrew. Pargny, to the east, and behind the German advance by the 25th March 1918 would be a likely place for them to have buried casualties from the battalion.

The Rimes Cup was created in his memory. The Peterborough Athletic Club that became Peterborough Cycling Club set up a memorial race in his memory that stil is run today. The cup was donated by his father Walter Rimes. The race in 1922 took place over 25 miles with 3rd Place (by handicap) going to Charles Herbert Rimes, Sydney's younger brother.

### Sources

* Great War forum - https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/47784-northamptonshire-regiment-6th-battalion/page/2/
https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/204308-pargny-war-grave/
* Roll of Honour - http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Huntingdonshire/OldFletton.html
* Imperial War Museums - https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/name/591753
* Lives of the First World War - https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/3747984
* Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1587455/rimes,-albert-sydney/

Pay attention with Albert C. Rimes, 7th Batallion Bedfordshire Regiment, killed in action 9 December 1917.