by scully » Sat May 01, 2010 12:59 pm
Hi Mary,
Hi,
Below is some information about the activity of the 1/8th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment for the period of time he would have suffered his injuries (Gas):
OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 1917
On leaving the Ypres Salient the two "First Line" Territorial Battalions moved down to a part of the front on which they had not previously served, the Vimy Ridge. That famous Ridge, on which the 3rd Battalion of the Regiment had fought so hard in 1916, had been captured at the beginning of the Arras battles, and in the autumn of 1917 our front line was nearly two miles east of the heights, and lay close to the outskirts of Lens.
To that line the Territorial Battalions came at the end of October. After detraining at Ligny-St-Flochel on October 14th the two Battalions marched to billets, the 7th Worcestershire at Aubigny and the 8th Worcestershire further west at Penin.
Next day the 144th Brigade marched westwards through Cappelle-Fermont and Acq to camp at Villers au Bois, and the Territorial soldiers had their first distant view of the Vimy Ridge. The 7th Worcestershire marched forward on the following day (October 17th) and once more came under gun-fire ; for, as the 7th Battalion reached their allotted quarters in ruined Neuville St. Vaast, two great shells came screaming down from the skies and struck close to the leading platoon.
Fortunately neither exploded. The platoons of the 7th Worcestershire dispersed to dugouts in the tangle of craters and trenches which ran in every direction about the demolished village—those very trenches and craters in which the 3rd, Battalion had battled.
In front of them the 8th Worcestershire and 4th Gloucestershire had moved up by train ; and after dark those two battalions filed forward through the communication trenches over the Ridge to the front line on the further side, where the 8th Worcestershire relieved the 27th Battalion of Canadians.
The Canadians had held Vimy Ridge since their victory in April, and they had planned and dug the defences on the eastern side with characteristic excellence. The trenches were as strong as could be, desired, dry and very comfortable, well equipped also with trench-tramways and with all facilities for bringing up supplies and taking back wounded.
To troops brought straight from the sloughs of the Salient such positions were bliss itself, and the memory of those trenches lasted long afterwards, prettily named as they were after famous ladies of the stage. "Gladys Cooper " and "Teddie Gerard" formed the main line of resistance, with "Billie Burke" and "Gaby" further forward. "Gertie Millar," the support position, was still more comfortable, but best of all was "Peggy Kurton," a cleverly arranged trench junction up to which the tramway brought supplies : " the nicest place we ever knew in the trenches." .
The 8th Worcestershire held the trenches during four quiet days, (October 18th-21st), each company having two platoons in the front line and two behind in Teddie Gerard." On their left the 4th Gloucestershire held "Gladys Cooper." Then, after relief by the 6th Gloucestershire, the Battalion filed back over the Ridge and took over the shelters at Neuville St. Vaast, from the 7th Worcestershire. That Battalion then moved forward over the Ridge into "Gertie Millar." The dispositions of the Brigade were then altered, one battalion alone holding the whole front system, its front being extended to cover both " Teddie Gerard " and "Gertie Millar." When the 7th Worcestershire relieved the 6th Gloucestershire on October 25th that extension of the front allowed the companies to be accommodated with comparative luxury. Behind them the 1/8th Worcestershire took over the support position.
At midnight of October 26th and 27th the enemy opposite attempted a small raid against the left of the line, where "D" Company's trenches formed a tempting salient ; the attack was beaten off with slight loss , one of the enemy being left dead. Next 'day a more dramatic incident occurred. A British aeroplane, cut off from its flight and overwhelmed by foes, was driven down and crashed in "No Man's Land," a short distance in front of the trenches of "A" Company. The subaltern nearest in the front line, Lieutenant J. Parkes, gallantly dashed out and, under a hail of bullets, helped the dazed pilot in to safety. Scarcely had they reached the shelter of the trenches when German guns began to shell the wrecked aeroplane; which soon was smashed and burnt. General Fanshawe, the Divisional Commander, came up to the front line later in the day and congratulated Lieutenant Parkes on his brave act .
On October 29th the 8th Worcestershire took over the front line, and the 7th Worcestershire moved back over the Ridge to Neuville St. Vaast. Thence on October 31st the headquarters of the 7th Worcestershire moved to Mont St. Eloy and the companies were dispersed on working parties.
The 8th Worcestershire held the line from October 29th till November 2nd. Several patrol incidents marked that tour, for the brilliance of the moonlight—that same bright moonlight which, further north, was bringing the. German aeroplanes to bomb the 2nd and 14th Battalions at Ypres—led to many enterprises. Two subalterns out in "No Man's Land " were hit during the first night, one of them being mortally wounded.
Two nights later (November 1st and 2nd) "C" Company attempted a raid from the salient on the left flank. The raiding party, twenty strong, crept unobserved across " No Man's Land " and entered the enemy's front line. The front line was found empty ; but strong German patrols advanced from the supporting trenches to cut off the raiders. A wild fight ensued across the open. Eventually the enemy were beaten off and the raiding party regained our lines.
Next night (November 2nd and 3rd) the 144th Brigade were relieved and moved back into Divisional reserve. After relief, the 8th Worcestershire marched back to Neuville St. Vaast.
During the next week the two Battalions remained employed on working parties about the Vimy Ridge. Then on November 10th the 7th Worcestershire again moved to Neuville St. Vaast. The 144th Brigade was taking over the line for the last time, and the 7th Worcestershire moved forward on the night of November 13th over the Ridge into "Gertie Millar" and "Peggy Kurton."
The Battalion lay in those support positions for two days, but already it was known that relief was at hand. A Canadian officer came up that night to " look around," and on the evening of November 15th the Canadian battalions, fresh from the hard-won victory of Passchendaele, came up to take over once more the trenches they had made. The 7th Worcestershire were relieved in " Gertie Millar" by the Canadian 28th Battalion, while behind the Ridge another Canadian battalion took over the shelters at Neuville St. Vaast from the 8th Worcestershire.
After the relief, the two Worcestershire Battalions moved to Mont St. Eloy. There the 144th Brigade concentrated and marched back on the following day to Villers au Bois.
The 48th Division was now moving back from the line, and on November 17th the Territorial Battalions marched westwards, by Mingoval and Bethonsart to the area behind Frevillers, where the 8th and 7th Worcestershire found quarters respectively at Ostreville and Monchy Breton.
Regards,
Louis (webmaster)