Description:Pte 2889 Gordon Dyke and his brother Pte 2888 Lionel Dyke pictured with one of their colleagues, Eric Carhart, of the 1/5th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment. On the back of this photograph is written 'days before Hulluch' which indicates that this photograph was taken in Belgium during the First World War, shortly before the Battle of Loos in September 1915.
1/5th Battalion were formed in Hanley, August 1914. Gordon and Lionel served in France from 5 March 1915. Both were later transferred to the Machine Gun Corps. Gordon was commissioned acting Sergeant on 25 July 1917. Both survived the war and went on to manage their father's company, the Bratt and Dyke Department Store in Hanley. At the time of the First World War both were living at their father Oliver's home, Woodlands, Granville Terrace, Stone.
Eric Carhart also worked in retail and owned a men's outfitters on Picadilly in Hanley. All three men survived the war.