THE niece of two Colchester soldiers, killed on the same day in the First World War, has researched their lives as a tribute to their sacrifice.

Privates Frederick and Richard Whall both died on August 6, 1915, while serving with 1st Battalion, Essex Regiment, in Gallipoli.

Margaret Blake was inspired to find out more about her uncles, after reading about a ceremony to remember two Colchester 16-year-olds who were also killed in the 1914-18 war.

“It’s something we’ve always known about in the family, but we’ve never had many details,” she said.

“We saw the piece in the Gazette about the two 16-year-olds and it spurred me on to find out more about my uncles and have them remembered.”

Amateur historian Joan Soole helped Mrs Blake, of Rectory Road, Wivenhoe, with her research.

The brothers were part of a family of six, including Mrs Blake’s mother, Florence, who lived in Kendall Road, New Town.

Their father, Richard, worked as a bootmaker, in James Street.

Frederick was a regular soldier, who had served in Ireland and India, while his younger brother, Richard, volunteered for the Army after the outbreak of the First World War.

The brothers sailed together with 1st Battalion, Essex Regiment, to take part in the landings at Gallipoli, on the coast of modern-day Turkey, in April 1915.

Frederick was 23 and Richard was 19 when they were killed four months later.

Mrs Blake said: “There cannot have been many brothers killed together like this in the war and we can never know what happened to them.

“They might have died side-by-side, or maybe one was wounded and the other was killed trying to help him.”

The brothers have no grave, but are remembered on the Helles Memorial, on the Gallipoli peninsula, on Colchester War Memorial, and by two trees planted on the town’s Avenue of Remembrance.

Mrs Blake said: “I can remember my mum taking me up to look at the boys’ trees. She always spoke about how they went off to fight and died together.

“It must have been heartbreaking for the family when they were told about their deaths, as it was for all the families of soldiers who were killed.”

As well as photographs, Mrs Blake has a book of poetry and a Bible, which belonged to Frederick, which she plans to donate to the Essex Regiment Museum, in Chelmsford, when it reopens next year, after a major refurbishment.

The museum’s keeper, Ian Hook, said Frederick and Richard were among 241 men from the Essex Regiment killed that day.

“It’s by no means unusual for families to lose several sons, but for two to be killed on the same day is pretty unusual,” he said.

“They were attacking Ottoman trenches at the top of Suvla Bay, which were used by the enemy to fire down on the attacking soldiers.

“It was a largely abortive operation for not a lot of gain, which sums up the whole campaign as well.”