BRITTAN, Oliver William Frank

Oliver was born 1898 in Newport to Oliver & Emily (nee GROUNDSELL) BRITTAN of 7 Parkhurst Terrace, Parkhurst. Growing up he lived at 37 Elm Grove & 31 Clifford Street, both in Newport.

The battalion regrouped in Egypt during 1916 as they prepared for the Palestine campaign which was launched at the start of 1917.

Oliver would have taken part in the epic march through the Sinai Desert & the First Battle of Gaza on 26th March where, despite victory being in sight, General Dobell ordered a retreat. Consequently, by the time of the Second Battle of Gaza the Turks had had nearly a month to dig in & so as the allied troops, including Oliver, advanced they were mown down by artillery fire.

Oliver, aged 19, was listed as Missing Presumed Killed on 19th of April 1917 & is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial to The Missing together with 3,310 of his First World War comrades.

Oliver is also remembered on the Newport Borough & Northwood War Memorials.