This section of the Long, Long Trail originally developed from a discussion at the Great War Forum.

We have been researching brothers who served in the British Army (including the Canadian, Australian and New Zealand forces) and who are known to have died on the same day.

Thanks are due to all who contributed the following details, of - at present - 249 sets of brothers. They are all tragic stories; perhaps none more so than where the brothers were not in the same unit or even in the same area when they lost their lives.

Latest addition to the tragic list:

14 July 1916 :
Donald and James Blackie both serving with 1st Otago Regiment of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, having arrived with the 11th and 8th Reinforcements respectively. They were sons of A. Blackie of 400 Leith Street, Dunedin, New Zealand. A trench raid by the Otagos was carried out on the night of 13 /14 July with heavy casualties taken.  The raid was carried out by an entire company (4th) of the 1st Otago Regiment but a considerable enemy mortar and machine gun fire caught the raiders in no man's land.  In total 4 Officers and 31 OR were killed with 4 officers and 118 OR wounded.  A further 6 were reported missing representing a total loss of 168 of the 181.  The official history of the Otago regiment refers to the enemy laying a "trap only too well prepared".  Those who were tasked with trying to rescue the wounded and retrieve the dead also took casualties. The brothers lie in adjacent graves in Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery at Armentieres.
Submitted by: Andrew Connolly