Lionel George Ayre Soper

Private, Honourable Artillery Company

Lionel George Ayre Soper was a student at Alleyn’s until 1912 and lived with his parents, Laura and Frederick, at 6 Meredyth Road, Barnes during this time. He joined the war effort as part of the Honourable Artillery Company and served overseas on the Western Front as a Private. In 1916, he was serving in France during the British Somme Offensive and took part in the third phase of the operation in November. During this phase, Lionel provided essential artillery support in the Battle of the Ancre which looked to exploit German exhaustion and gain better ground for 1917. Unfortunately, he was killed in action on the first day of this battle on November 13^th 1916. He is buried at Ancre, Beaumont-Hamel.