Other Information:Reginald had served in the Regular Army two years before war broke out. He entered the war in France on the 23rd August 1914 and first went to St Quentin, "where", he said "some of the wounded were coming down from Mons. We travelled practically right to Mons, reaching there just as the British started the masterly retreat with which all the world is familiar. So we were no sooner up there than we came back again. We were eleven days retiring, until we were at a point within 25 Kilometers of Paris, indeed, under the first line of forts. Then we took a right turn and soon found ourselves marching towards the Marne." Reginald was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal shortly after at the Battle of the Aisne "For exceptionally good work at the dressing stations at Buey Le Long and St. Marguerite, during the bombardment of the 14th to 18th September." He states "The Germans were shelling a hospital behind which the Royal Irish Fusiliers were billeted. They evidently knew they were there and were trying to smash them up and they pretty well succeeded. There were something like 300 wounded there at the time and our experiences were very trying, For about twelve hours we were tending the wounded under a fierce bombardment that was most nerve-racking, for all the buildings were quivering from the concussion of the bursting shells. I was not the only one who was decorated". From this Reginald travelled by train to Ploegstrete where the Somerset Light Infantry were captured by the enemy. He was one of the parties that collected the wounded and removed them to the base hospital. They remained there over the Christmas period, then the Division moved to Ypres. Reginald later went through two poisonous gas attacks and describes the experience as "not pleasant". He was then struck by a bullet in the right foot, while at work among the Seaforth Highlanders in the trenches at Ypres. The metatarsal bones being fractured, he was lamed, and had to be sent down to a base hospital, and a month later was ordered for a period of convalescence to England. He stayed in Lincoln Hospital for ten days before going home on a week's leave. Although his foot had not yet fully recovered, on the 3rd July 1915, he was due to report again for duty at Aldershot. Reginald was the son of Robert Henry and Catherine Mears of 2 White Horse Street, Hereford. [Information sources: London Gazette. MIC. An interview with Cpl Mears in the Hereford Times. (Portrait photograph from the Hereford Times, courtesy of Maggie Tyler)]
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